


Son of a Drag Queen

by ArtificialMykel



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Drag Queens, Eventual Smut, Homophobic Language, Multi, Other, Trans Male Character, eventual biadore, son of a drag queen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2020-07-10 04:49:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19900090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtificialMykel/pseuds/ArtificialMykel
Summary: The trials and tribulations, ups and downs, ins and outs of Roy's teenage son and how Roy and Danny met waaay before Drag Race.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I originally posted this on my Tumblr page with the same name but thought I'd branch out on here too. Thanks for looking into it!  
> I’ve changed Adore’s age slightly to work with this story and I've also changed it so Bianca moved to LA sooner than she did for real. This is mostly told from Charlie’s POV so the pronouns and names are how he views people.

**Prologue**

**2009**

Charles Rio Haylock hates school with a passion and he has for as long as he can remember. Like if hating school was an olympic event, he’d win gold every time and hold the olympic and world records. He hates school so much because school hates him. All seven school he’s been to since elementary have hated him so he’s had to move. The school that he’s starting at today is the last resort, according to his father.

It's a special school, for want of a better phrase. It’s the type of school that kids who burn down buildings and do drugs go to. He’s not one of those kids. He doesn’t smoke, he rarely drinks, he’s only ever retaliated in a fight, never started one. Sure he’s thrown a stool at someone because they’ve pushed him to the floor and kicked him in the ribs in chemistry, but it’s not his fault they didn’t move out of the way and it’s not his fault he broke their nose. They should have moved faster.

But this new school that he’s been moved to honestly scares him. Its probably full of reprobates and he feels like he does not belong. The only good thing about this school is the hours. He shows up at eight thirty in the morning and he can be gone by noon. It’s just the actual going to school he doesn’t want to do.

If he hadn’t promised his father he’d make an effort this time, he wouldn’t bother going but he really doesn’t want to let him down again. His dad works hard for them to have a decent life and Charlie doesn’t want to screw it up anymore than he already has.

He sighs and pulls himself out of bed, heading for the bathroom. Once he’s showered and bound his chest, he pulls on his boxers, skin tight, black, ripped skinny jeans and long sleeve black Nirvana tee shirt. He pushes the sleeves up to his elbows before pulling out his makeup bag.

He goes about pinning his black hair back away from his face before applying his usual black eyeliner, making sure its smudged enough to give off that I-don’t-give-a-fuck look. On any other day, if it wasn’t his first day in a new school, he would have gone with mascara and probably black lipstick as well just to really fuck with people and make them question his gender. But this time he decides to just stick with black eye liner and black nail polish, already applied the night before.

He unclips his hair and lets it fall over his face in a way that covers most of the right side of his face and he has to keep flicking his head to get it out the way. Once he’s straightened it and he’s happy with how each, individual hair is falling, he sighs again and heads towards the kitchen.

“Good morning.” His dad greets him from the small breakfast bar in the kitchen where he's already sat with a plate of pancakes and a cup of coffee.

“Mornin’.” Charlie grumbles in typical teenage style.

Sammy and Dede jump down from their space on the couch and greet Charlie with wagging tails and affection licks on his hands and he reaches down to scratch them both behind the ears. Once they’re satisfied with their fussing, they trot back over to the couch, jumping back up and settling down into two little fluffy balls.

His dad gives him the once over, noting the lack of makeup and he frowns ever so slightly before going back to his newspaper.

“What?” Charlie snaps out, which earns him a look of don’t-start-with-the-attitude.

His dad holds his stare for a few seconds before speaking. “I was just trying to remember the last time I saw you with barely any makeup on. You look good.”

Charlie can feel his cheeks flush with embarrassment at snapping at his father. They usually have a really good relationship and even after all the stress and heartache Charlie’s put his dad through, he’s still his number one supporter and best friend.

“Sorry,” He murmurs out after pouring himself a cup of coffee. “I’m just stressed with this school shit.”

His dad nods in understanding. “I know, but you have to remember that this is really your last chance Charlie. If it doesn’t work out here, well we don’t have any other options.”

“I know.”

“Have you taken your meds this morning?”

“Yep.” Charlie lies.

He hates that he has to take medication to live a normal life and he’s been feeling fine lately so he hasn’t felt the need to take them. There’s been no seizures, not even a dizzy spell.

They sit at the breakfast bar in silence, Charlie silently sipping his coffee, still trying to wake up fully and Roy flicking through his paper.

Roy knows not to press his son too much about school. He knows Charlie really does try his best but he’s just a little different and stands out which in high school is not a good thing. Other high schoolers will find someone who stands out and push them to breaking point. That just happens to have been Charlie every single time. He’s different, he always has been and Roy is extremely proud of him for that.

Not only is Charlie different in the fashion side of things, he’s also different because he’s transgender and gay. Neither of these things bother Roy, not in the slightest. He took it all in his stride and has adapted to his sons needs. The pronouns and new name took a little bit of time to get use to, but he's been using them since Charlie was three so now he doesn’t even think of his sons birth name that took him literally days to choose.

Roy knows that Charlie gets picked on for all his differences but he also knows that he’s taught his boy well when it comes to defending himself. He set out some basic rules from Charlie’s second day of school after Roy received a phone call from Charlie’s principal on his first day of kindergarten. Charlie had only been there maybe three hours before Roy was called.

_Roy rushes through the school doors and down the hall towards the principals office, his heart beating so fast he feels like it might burst through his chest. He pushes his way through the office door with such force it hits to wall, causing the principal and Charlie to jump._

_Roy’s eyes flick down to his son, sitting on a huge chair with his skinny jean clad legs hanging over the edge and his pink converse clad feet swinging slightly. Charlie looks up at Roy and immediately looks back down out of embarrassment or fear, but the look on his blotchy, red, tear stained face breaks Roy’s heart._

_He steps forward and kneels in front of Charlie, lifting his boys chin slightly to look him in the eye. He tucks Charlie’s shoulder length, wavy black hair behind his ears and wipes away his tears with his thumb as Charlie sniffles and avoids eye contact._

_“Mr Haylock,” The principal speaks up for the first time since Roy’s abrupt arrival but he ignores her, focusing on making sure Charlie knows he’s not mad, no matter what’s happened. “Mr Haylock, I have to ask you to take a seat. We have some things we need to discuss.”_

_With that, Roy rolls his eyes and pulls a face and Charlie giggles at his goofiness. Roy stands up, scooping Charlie up under the arms before sitting down and settling Charlie on his lap, wrapping his arms around his middle and linking his hands._

_“You okay, Charlie-Bear?” Roy asks using Charlie’s nickname and Charlie just nods, resting his head on Roy’s shoulder and sniffling again._

_Only then does Roy turn to the principal. She stares at him in disbelieve for a few seconds and Roy gets the impression that it’s not very often someone stands up to her or ignores her demands._

_“Mr Haylock, my colleagues and I are concerned about Charlotte’s-.”_

_Roy cuts her off. “Charles.” He corrects her. “He prefers Charlie but if you have to be formal, its Charles.”_

_The principal stares for a few seconds before looking down at the paperwork on her desk. She slips on some reading glasses and scans over the file. “It says here, Charlotte-.”  
“Well, I’m telling you, its wrong.” Roy snaps, tightening his hold on his son as Charlie shifts uncomfortably at the mention of his birth name. “I spoke to your receptionist and explained Charlie’s situation. I suggest you talk with her.”_

_The Principal flips the file shut before sighing and turning her full attention back to Roy. “We’re concerned about your child’s behaviour. He started a fight today with a boy and we simply don’t allow fighting.”_

_Instead of answering her, Roy turns to Charlie. “Can you explain you actions please Charlie?” He asks, talking to his son like a human rather than talking about him as if he isn’t here._

_“Brendan called me a faggot fairy ‘cause of how I sit and ‘cause of my pants and shoes and hair.” Charlie murmurs out._

_Roy grits his teeth to stop himself for cursing in anger. How dare someone talk to his son like that? He forces out a breath and decides now isn’t a great time to correct Charlie on his speech, maybe some other time. Instead he nods in understanding._

_“So what did you do?” He asks, almost too scared to know the answer._

_Charlie bites his bottom lip and looks away from Roy._

_“Tell your father what you did!” The principal snaps and it startles Charlie._

_“I poured glue in his hair and emptied a glitter pot and mixed it all in and said it’s my faggot fairy dust.” Charlie’s voice comes out in a quick whisper._

_Roy can’t help himself. He throws his head back and barks out a cackle, causing the Principal to scowl at him and Charlie to giggle. He knows he shouldn't laugh, it’s not the sort of thing he should condone by laughing but he can’t help it. He loves his kid and the things he comes up with._

_“Mr Haylock, I really don’t think that’s an appropriate response.” The principal chastises him._

_“Oh come on lady,” Roy starts. “Where’s the other kid? Have you called his parents in to discuss how he made a homophobic comment? Of course you haven’t! I’ll not stand by and let you single out my child for standing up for himself.”_

_With that Roy sets Charlie on his feet and stands up. He takes Charlie’s hand and walks to the door before turning around to face the stunned principal. “I’m taking my son home now and we’ll be back in the morning. Thank you for your time.”_

_He leaves the office and the school with Charlie skipping beside him. Once they’re both in the car, Roy turns to Charlie. “You feel like getting some pizza, Charlie-Bear?”_

The basic rules were set up that day over pizza and a milkshake, something that they usually save for a weekend treat and still do. The rules are simple. Never start a fight but aim to finish them. Never be afraid to report people for being dicks. Always stick up for your friends. Never walk home alone without having your keys in your hand. When you have to, fight dirty. The last couple were added when Charlie got a little older and would walk home from the bus on his own.

After a good ten minutes of silence, Roy sighs. “Please eat something.” He tells Charlie quietly.

He doesn’t want to make a big deal out of the fact that Charlie hasn’t eaten since breakfast yesterday because its always such a sensitive topic for him. But he can’t not say anything. He wouldn’t be doing his job as a father if he didn’t.

“There’s extra pancakes in the microwave. They should still be warm. Just try and eat one for me so I'm not worried about you all day.” He tries with a small smile.

Charlie sighs but does as he’s told, reaching over the breakfast bar to pull out the remaining four pancakes from the microwave. Roy silently gets up and searches through one of the cupboards until he finds a jar of Nutella, sliding it in front of Charlie knowing full well it’s his sons weakness.

Charlie stares at the jar, gnawing on his bottom lip as if he’s trying to make the worlds hardest decision before nodding his head and opening the jar, spooning out a decent amount of Nutella and spreading it over not one, but two pancakes. Roy silently thanks the goddesses that Charlie is eating but doesn’t make a big deal out of it, going back to his own pancakes and newspaper.

“So you finish at noon today, right?” Roy asks after another few silent minutes.

“Yep. I’ll get a bus home though.” Charlie speaks up knowing exactly what Roy is thinking. “You don’t need to finish work early to come get me dad, I’ll be fine.”

Roy just nods. “Have you got everything you need?” He asks.

“Yep, it’s all in my backpack.”

“Do you need any money for the bus or for lunch?”

Charlie lays his fork down and turns on his stool to look at Roy. “Dad, stop worrying.” He says the words slowly, as though talking to a toddler or a deaf person. “I’ll be fine. I’m fifteen not five.”

Roy holds up his hands in the general surrender and Charlie goes back to his pancakes. Roy waits a few more minutes before talking again.

“You know I worry about you, Charlie. I can’t help it, it comes in the job description. I mean, it’s in the small print but it's there.” Roy rambles on, trying to lighten the mood.

“Really? I didn’t know being a drag queen meant you have to be an annoying, nagging bitch all the time.” Charlie blurts out, a grin on his face.

Roy’s mouth drops open in mock hurt. “Shady bitch.” He mutters and Charlie laughs knowing his dad isn’t serious. “Alright, lets go. Can’t have you being late on your first day.”

With that, they both dump their plates in the dishwasher and switch it on. Charlie slips on his beat up combat boots, grabs his plaid jacket and backpack while Roy gathers up the few things he needs for work. They both say goodbye to Sammy and Dede and leave the apartment.

. . .

“Okay, I want you to text me when you finish school, text me when you’re on the bus and text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.” Roy rambles on as they pull outside the school, gesturing with his free hand like he does when he’s nervous.

Charlie rolls his eyes at his dads worrying. “Why don’t you just come in with me?” He asks sarcastically. "I'm sure you’ll be fascinated by the technology we have now. Did your school have blackboards or were you still using quills and parchment?”

Roy slowly turns in his seat to glare at Charlie. He narrows his eyes and points to the car door. “Shut up and get the fuck out.” He tells Charlie with all seriousness.

They both stare at each other for a few long seconds before they both burst out laughing. Roy reaches other to slap Charlie’s knee. “You cocky brat, I love you.” He laughs out. “Go on, get out or you’ll be late.”

Charlie grins at his dad, feeling a little less nervous about the day. “Alright, love you old man.” He murmurs before clambering out the car.

Roy waves and smiles as he pulls away from the school. Charlie sighs and turns to look at the run down building. This is going to be shit and he knows it.

. . .

The classroom is small with only about twenty desks in it. The walls are bare except for one that has a large whiteboard on it. There’s already a small group of students, four boys and two girls, in the room. One of the girls is sat by herself, her head resting on her hand and doodling in a notebook. She looks up when Charlie walks in and gives him a cute, friendly smile but then goes back to her notebook. The other five are all gathered around a single desk and as Charlie looks, he sees that there’s actually another student sat down and they’re surrounding him.

He looks way too old to be in high school and he also looks like he’s just been released from prison. He has a buzzcut, two earrings in one lobe and a cigarette behind one ear, as well as one in his mouth. He has his biker boot clad feet propped up on the desk with his rolled up jeans riding up slightly to reveal tattoos on both his calves. He’s also wearing a tight, once white wife beater and a fake leather biker vest.

Now Charlie doesn’t have a death wish, but he couldn’t help but smirk at the guy at the exact same second that the guy looks at him. The guy narrows his eyes and moves his feet off of the table, standing up and striding over to Charlie.

“Looks like we got another Faggot in the class.” The guy says, grunting out a laugh and the rest of the group that were surrounding him laugh as well.

Charlie will forever be pissed at his father for passing on his quick wit and the urge to answer back with some smart ass comment when people get all up in his face.

“Well, I’m glad we got that out the way, I hate awkward introductions.” Charlie smiles at the guy. “Your boots and vest are fabulous by the way, really hides your inner homo.”

The guy looks like Charlie’s just slapped him. He’s clearly a homophobic idiot and the fact that someone is suggesting he’s gay is very uncomfortable for him. But he also looks like he doesn’t know what to say to Charlie, so instead he raises his fist.

“Leave him alone, Casey.” The quiet girl on her own speaks up for the first time since Charlie entered the room.

Casey turns around to glare at her before snorting out a laugh. “Faggot, this a friend of yours?” He says to her.

She narrows green eyes at him and flicks her long black hair over her shoulder. “Fuck all the way off, dick breath.” She snaps out.

Before Charlie can even register what is happening, the girl launches herself over her desk at the guy, hitting him square in the jaw. He flails his hands around trying to get a hand on her as she reins down punches right and left. Casey grabs at her hair but she manages to just about dodge out the way.

Charlie isn’t usually one for fights, especially ones that he’s not in, but if this girl continues she’s going to end up getting seriously hurt. He thinks about it for a few more seconds but when Casey’s fist connects with her bottom lip, Charlie steps in. He adjusts his backpack on his shoulder and wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her away from the wanna-be biker boy.

“Come on Princess, lets go.” He murmurs, hauling her towards the door.

“You better watch your fucking back, Faggot!” Casey roars after the duo as the door bangs shut behind them.

Charlie doesn’t release the still struggling girl until they’re in the bathroom. He lets her go and she whirls around to glare at him. “Hey,” He tells her with his hands up in surrender. “I’m not going to hurt you, I wanna help you.”

She continues to glare at him as she calms down, catching her breath and trying to stop her hands from shaking. Once she’s calm, Charlie grabs a paper towel, dampens it and holds it out to her for her busted lip. She sighs and takes it, leaning her back against the wall.

“Thanks.” She murmurs. “But you didn’t have to help me. I was fine.”

Charlie bites back the sarcastic comment about looking like she had it handled. He just stands in silence waiting for her to speak again. He’s not going to just leave her here on her own, not with that fuckwit in the classroom clearly out for revenge.

“You don't have to stay.” She tells him quietly, most of the fight has left her now and Charlie can tell because her voice trembles slightly.

“I want to.” He shrugs and leans his hip against the sink, folding his arms over his chest. “Thanks for standing up for me.”

She looks at herself in the mirror and groans before reaching up and grabbing a fistful of her hair. To Charlie’s complete shock, she pulls and her whole hair piece comes away so she tosses it onto the counter next to the sink. She runs a shaking hand through her dark brown hair causing it to stick up in different directions and she huffs out another breath.

“I hate it here.” She tells him quietly while pulling out the couple of bobby pins in her hair. “Everyone is so judgmental.”

“Yeah the uh, the faggot comment kinda gave me that vibe.” Charlie tells her quietly and she laughs.

She studies him for a few minutes and he lets her. It’s not in a judgmental way, more like she’s trying to figure something out. She looks over his style so he does the same with her. She’s wearing high waisted, denim bootie shorts, fishnet tights and an oversized red plaid shirt tied around her waist. She’s also wearing combat boots but her’s look a lot newer and cleaner than Charlie’s. He notices how well done her make up is. Not your usual high school girl make up. Hers is different, unique, like her. Charlie can’t put his finger on what’s different about her but there’s definitely something.

“You know, you could just take a picture.” She tells him quietly, a smirk playing across her lips.

“Uh, shit, sorry.” Charlie mumbles.

“Its cool, I’m use to it.” She shrugs and tosses the paper towel in the trash. “I’m Danny.”

“I'm Charlie.”

“What’s your sign?” Danny blurts out, eyeing Charlie curiously.

“Oh, um, Gemini I think.” Charlie’s slightly taken aback by her abrupt question.

Her face lights up with pure joy and she gives him a huge grin, showing off perfectly white teeth.

“What about you?” He asks.

“I’m a fucking Libra.” Charlie grins at how proud she sounds. “Listen, don’t worry about Casey. He’s just a homophobic cunt.”

“You’re gay too?” He asks her without thinking. “Sorry, that was rude.”

“No it wasn’t.” She tells him but she doesn’t answer the question.

“What pronouns do you prefer?” Her asks her, his voice coming out in an almost whisper.

She stares at him for a few long seconds before smiling. “No one’s ever asked me that before. Anything is fine, I’ll answer to pretty much anything.”

Charlie nods, thinking about the person in front of him, wondering if he’s the first person to ever speak to her like a human rather than a thing.

“Ugh, this is gonna be a bitch to get back on.” Danny groans picking up the wig.

“Here,” Charlie says without thinking.

He takes the wig and the bobby pins and gestures for her to stand in front of the mirror. She stoops down slightly so he can reach and then he goes about smoothing her natural hair down before applying the wig and securing it with the pins.

“Wait there a second.” He tells her.

He pulls up his backpack and rummages around in the bottom for some extra bobby pins that are bound to be in there from the many times he’s helped his dad out. He pulls out an extra four pins and secures them around the back of Danny’s wig. Once he’s done, he rests his hands on her shoulders and looks at her through the mirror.

“How the fuck do you know how to do that so well?” She asks in shock, touching her hair piece to feel how secure it is.

Charlie shrugs and smiles. “My dads a costume designer. He makes wigs as well.”

Danny spins around to gape at him. “That’s so fucking cool!” She yells.

Charlie laughs and gathers up his things, slinging his backpack back onto his shoulder. Danny gathers her things up as well, checking her make up in the mirror. Charlie reaches the door and looks behind him to see that Danny is still preening herself.

“Come on Princess, we got classes to get to.” He tells her and she turns to grin at him.

Charlie has a weird feeling he may have just made a friend for life, his first real friend.

. . .

“And I was like, bitch, I’m from Azusa. I’ll stab a bitch!” Danny exclaims as they leave the school gates. “Then she, like, tried to slap me so I punched her and that was the last fucking straw so now I’m here.”

Charlie laughs along as Danny explains how she ended up at the School of Rejects as they’ve decided to call it. She really is a character and they hit it off straight away. There’s just something different about her and he can’t put his finger on it but he likes it.

Charlie has literally never gotten on with someone better than he has with Danny. The only other person in the world he’s ever connected with is his father. Danny is kind, funny, protective as hell and Charlie can’t believe all the shit she’s been through. Her fashion sense is unique and amazing and she has references and one liners that crack him up every time.

They’d known each other for maybe two hours when Danny insisted that Charlie hang out with her this coming weekend. They exchanged numbers and Danny expressed how upset she’d be if he didn’t.

The day went so much quicker with having a friend to talk to and laugh with. The classes sucked because the teachers clearly had no interest in teaching a bunch of misfits. But Charlie didn’t mind, at least he was actually here.

“What about you Billie Joe?” She asks and he barks out a laugh at her Green Day reference. “How’d you end up here?”

“People are bitches. My dad-.” Charlie stops dead when he sees a familiar car parked across the street. “Is right over there.” He murmurs.

Danny looks around until she sees the car. “Aww that’s so cute!” She teases. “Daddy’s come to pick Charlie up from school!”

“Fuck all the way off, Cunt.” Charlie laughs. “Alright, I gotta go.”

Danny laughs and leans in for a hug which Charlie accepts. “See ya, Bitch.”

Charlie walks across the road and turns around half way to yell back at her. “I’ll text you later, Princess!”

“Party!” Danny yells holding up her hand in the sign of the horns and sticking her tongue out.

Charlie laughs as he climbs into the car and is greeted by a questioning look from his dad. “Hey, old man.” He greets.

“Princess?” His dad asks, raising his eyebrows.

“Just a nickname.” Charlie shrugs. “Thought I said I was taking the bus home?”

“I finished early because I’ve got a last minute gig tonight.” Roy tells him as they pull away and head home. “Who’s your friend?”

“Just a friend, Dad.” Charlie tells him quietly.

“Just a friend?” Roy asks.

“Yep.”

Roy hums suspiciously but doesn’t ask anymore questions, even with seeing the blush creeping onto his sons face.

Danny is just a friend, right?

. . .


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I don’t really know what else to say except this chapter is real close to my heart so it might be a little sloppy (its hard to reread and edit). Trigger warning for homophobia, transphobia, assault, mention of blood and yeah. I think that’s it.

Charlie never usually uses public restrooms, even the ones at school. It's something he hasn't done since he was about six years old when his dad took him into a male restroom and some prick started yelling about not being allowed to have his daughter in there. Seeing someone be so horrible to his dad because of him really bothered Charlie and he didn't want it to ever happen again so he's never used public restrooms since.

But right now, right at this very minute, Charlie feels like he may actually pee himself if he doesn't go. He waits for two minutes, that feel like two hours, until the bell goes signalling the end of the lesson and jumps up out of his seat.

"Hey," he rests his hand on Danny's shoulder to get her attention. "I'll meet you next lesson, I gotta pee."

Danny smiles and nods and Charlie snatches up his backpack and half runs out of the room.

He knows there's a huge chance someone else will be in the restroom as well, but at school he's stealth so he's pretty confident no one will question him going into the male restrooms. To his surprise and relief, it's empty. He goes into one of the stalls, locks the door and then props his backpack against the door as well, just in case, and does his business. Once he's peed, he can't help but smile and feel like he's achieved something major. He's used the male restrooms for the first time without being accompanied by his father.

He leaves the stall to wash his hands and decides now is a great time to touch up on his eyeliner, seeing as it's a little weak today. As he's applying an extra layer on his left eye, the restroom door opens and Casey the strolls in. Charlie freezes with the eyeliner pencil in the centre of his lower left lid and he feels like his heart has literally stopped. Casey stops in his tracks and grimaces when he sees Charlie. Charlie does his best to carry on applying his makeup and trying to ignore his now slightly trembling hands. He's well aware of the fact that Casey is glaring at him so in true Haylock fashion, he can't help but make a comment.

"You looking for some make up tips, pretty boy, or just admiring the view?” Charlie asks him quietly.

Casey's response surprises Charlie a little, instead of being angry, Casey just smirks and steps a little closer.

"I've been watching you, Faggot." He says as Charlie recaps his eyeliner pencil and drops it into his backpack.

“Well, congratulations, that's about the creepiest thing anyone has ever said to me." Charlie tells the huge guy, trying to make it seem like he's not scared right now.

"You're a fucking tranny." Casey spits out as if its the most vile word to pass his lips.

Charlie feels like his throat has closed up and he's stopped breathing.

"I've seen the way you sit and walk and the way you act with that other faggot." Casey steps forward so he's right in front of Charlie, towering over him.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Charlie stutters out, his voice higher than he wants it to be.

"Prove to me that you're not a tranny." Casey sneers, inches away from Charlie’s face.

"Fuck off, homophobic cunt.” Charlie pulls his arm back and throws the first punch, connecting with Casey’s jaw.

Without saying anything, Casey's hands jut forward grabbing onto Charlie's upper arms.

“Let me go asshole!” Charlie grunts out trying to break free from Casey hold but its like a baby mouse trying to escape a snake.

"You're disgusting! I shouldn't have to share my school with fuck ups like you." Casey throws Charlie up against the wall.

Charlie's mind goes into panicked overdrive as he brings his knee up to connect it with Casey’s stomach. The bully releases his hold on Charlie to clutch his midsection and Charlie jumps sideways to try and be out of his reach.

“You fucking freak!” Casey roars.

He steps in front of Charlie again and this time Charlie can see the anger bubbling up in his attackers eyes. Charlie goes completely blank at the look of pure hate and disgust on Casey’s face and he doesn’t notice Casey bring his hand up to grip Charlie’s hair. He slams Charlie’s head into the wall face first and Charlie can’t help the cry of pain that escapes him when he feels his nose pop and gush with blood.

“Your sort should be drowned at birth. No parent should have to deal with you. The shame, the pain, the embarrassment of having something like you as their kid.” Casey grinds out through gritted teeth as he stares down at Charlie, still gripping his hair.

“Fuck you." Charlie manages to spit out, flecks of blood flying from his mouth as he speaks.

Casey slams the side of his head into the mirror and Charlie hears the crunch of the mirror cracking. The huge bully then drops his grip and Charlie falls to the floor, his legs feeling like jelly and too weak to hold him up. He just about has time to pull in a shaky breath and roll onto his back, when he feels the weight of a boot clad foot connecting with his left side forcing the breath straight back out. Charlie sees stars in his vision from the lack of oxygen and tries to drag himself away from Casey but the kicks keep raining down. He’s aware of the fact that Casey is grunting out insults with each blow but he can’t make out what he’s saying.

“Charlie?” A familiar voice rings out in Charlie’s ears but it sounds so far away.

He shakes his foggy head to bring himself back from almost unconsciousness in time to see Danny bursting through the restroom doors. She throws herself at Casey, arms outstretched with her perfectly painted nails connecting with his face. The room spins every time Charlie tries to open his eyes, so instead he closes them and lays his head on the cold floor.

He doesn’t know how long it is before he feels a shaking hand rest on his shoulder and even though he knows its Danny, he still flinches away.

"Hey, Charlie, come on." Danny tells him quietly as she helps him to sit up. "Shit, we need to get you to a hospital."

"No," Charlie murmurs out. "I'll be fine."

"Charlie you're bleeding, you're not fucking fine." Danny snaps, panic clear in her voice as her hands flit over him.

She helps Charlie to his feet and holds on to his arm as he leans on the edge of the sink, looking at his reflection in the cracked mirror. His eyes go wide at the amount of blood all over his face from his possibly broken nose and split lip and dripping through his matted, blood soaked hair from the side of his head.

“Lovely.” He mumbles, huffing out a breath and immediately regretting it from the stab of pain get from his ribs.

He spits a mouthful of blood into the sink and groans as his head throbs. His whole body hurts and he should be upset, but he’s mostly just pissed off.

“Honey, I really think we should get you checked out.” Danny says quietly, her hand rubbing soothing circles on Charlie’s back and her worried green eyes staring back at him through the mirror.

“I’m fine, Princess.” He gives her a weak smile and looks away from the pain in her eyes.

Danny sighs but doesn’t pester anymore. Instead she takes a handful of paper towels, soaks them and then helps clean Charlie up. Neither of them speak as she wipes the excess blood away from his face and Charlie holds some towels to his head. He keeps his eyes closed to stop the room spinning and tries to take even, shallow breathes so as not to cause himself any more pain. He winces as Danny dabs at his lip but again, neither of them say anything.

“Okay, I think that’s about good as it’s going to get.” Danny says as she steps back from him and throws the paper towels in the bin.

Charlie opens his eyes to look in the mirror and he nods his head in agreement. He doesn’t look half as bad as he did fifteen minutes ago but he still looks pretty awful.

“I think you should call your dad to come and pick you up." Danny tells him.

“Hell no.”

“Okay, then let me take you back to mine.” Danny reaches out to take his hand and gives it a squeeze. “I don’t think you should be alone. I’m no doctor but I think you might have aconcussion.”

Charlie knows there’s no point refusing Danny’s offer. She’s too caring to let Charlie go back home on his own and going back to her place sounds like the most logical thing to do. So he just sighs and nods his head, letting Danny pull him out of the restroom and through the school halls to the parking lot.

. . .

“Mom?” Danny calls out from the front door of her house.

She’s still clutching onto Charlie’s hand, only letting go of it in the car when she knew he was sitting down. She’s too worried that he she doesn’t hold onto him he’s going to pass out or fall face first onto the floor.

“In the kitchen!” Another voice calls back and Charlie can feel the slight panic set in.

“Danny, maybe I should just go back to mine. What if your mom doesn’t want me here?” Charlie asks, nervousness making him chew on his split lip.

Danny reaches up and uses her thumb to pull his lip free before smiling. “That’s bullshit. My mom loves everyone.” Danny tells him before pulling him through the house to the kitchen.

“How was school sweet- oh.” Danny’s mom stops mid sentence when she sees Charlie being pulled into the kitchen.

“Mom, this is Charlie.” Danny says with a smile but her mom still has a look of shock and worry on her kind face.

“Hi, Mrs Noriega.” Charlie gives her a weak smile and small wave as he wobbles on his feet, the room spinning ever so slightly.

She waves her hand and smiles. “Just Bonnie, Mrs Noriega makes me sound old.”

“Mom, Charlie needs help.” Danny says as she leads Charlie through to the living area and sits him down on the couch, still holding his hand.

Bonnie follows them through, drying her hands on a kitchen towel and then throwing it over her shoulder. “What happened?” She asks, frowning as she looks over Charlie’s injuries.

“That prick Casey.” That’s all Danny has to say for her moms face to turn from worried to pissed off.

“I hope you fucked him up for doing this.” She tells Danny with a stern look and she just nods her head. “Okay, good. I know I raised you right. I’ll be right back.”

She leaves the room and Charlie lets out a small breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“Relax, it’ll be okay. You’ll be okay.” Danny says quietly, rubbing her thumb over Charlie’s knuckles.

Bonnie comes back into the room with a basket, about the size of a shoe box, and sets it down on the coffee table. She then goes about pulling out medical supplies and Charlie just watches in a daze.

She starts by taking Charlie’s left hand and he winces when she bends his wrist. “Hurts to bend it?” She asks him quietly.

“Um, yeah. Just a bit.” He confirms.

She nods and goes about cleaning his cut up knuckles before applying an ointment. She then wraps his hand and wrist with a bandage before moving onto his face. Charlie closes his eyes as the ointment stings his lip and keeps them closed until Bonnie is finished. She places a butterfly strip along the bottom of his lip and then feels his nose.

“It’s not broken but you’ll two nice black eyes in the morning.” Bonnie tells him. “Anything else I need to look at?”

Before Charlie can say anything, Danny speaks up. “He cut his head pretty bad.”

Charlie sighs and lowers his head so Bonnie can have a look. She curses under her breathe and rummages around in the basket before pulling out a small bottle.

“Medical glue?” Charlie asks, reading the label on the bottle.

Bonnie nods her head but doesn't say anything as she uncaps the bottle. She parts his hair so she has better access to the cut and applies a quick layer, causing Charlie to squeeze his eyes shut as it stings and makes his eyes water.

“I’m sorry, sweetie.” Bonnie tells him as she applies another layer.

She finishes with a third layer of glue, gentle blowing on it to dry it quicker. She recaps the bottle and sighs, resting her hands on her knees. “Anything else?” She asks after a few quiet seconds.

“No.” Charlie snaps out before Danny can mention his ribs.

“Charlie, come on. My mom can help.” Danny murmurs, squeezing his hand.

“Its fine, Princess.” He tells her using the nickname, forgetting that Bonnie is sat just a couple of feet away. “I’ll be fine.”

“I’m starting to really hate that word.” Danny tells him, narrowing her eyes. “Casey kicked him in the ribs. A lot.”

Bonnie grits her teeth and looks as though she’s counting to ten to try and calm herself down. Then she gives Charlie a half smile. “Shirt off, young man.” She tells him.

He can feel the colour-what’s left of it-drain from his face. “Uh,” Charlie looks down, not catching her gaze.

“Don’t be so shy. I’ve raised three sons, there’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” She laughs with a smile.

Charlie looks to Danny whose eyes widen, suddenly realising the situation. “Oh! Right, you can go in the bathroom and do it. Or my room.” She tells Charlie and her mom.

Bonnie smiles and leads the way to the bathroom, letting Charlie in first before closing the door. Charlie chews on his upper lip as he stands nervously in the bathroom, shuffling from one foot to the other. Bonnie stands patiently, waiting for him to pluck up the courage to strip off in front of her and smiles to encourage him.

Charlie sighs for what feels like the millionth time that day and shrugs out of his blood stained, red checked flannel button up.

“Need a hand with your tee shirt?” Bonnie asks and Charlie silently nods.

He grimaces at the pain that shoots through his ribs as he lifts his arms to help Bonnie pull the shirt over his head. Charlie then stands in silence, not looking at Bonnie as she inspects the already dark purple bruises, half hidden by the ace bandages that are binding his chest.

She stares for a few seconds before locking eye contact with him. “Are you like Danny?” She asks him on a whisper.

“Kinda.” He mumbles and his voice cracks in just that single word.

She gives him another kind smile and doesn’t say any more as she looks over his ribs. Bonnie does her best to keep her touch to the minimum so as not to hurt him any further. She checks in with him every minute or so to make she what she’s doing is okay. Charlie is ridiculously uncomfortable with the whole situation, but he knows that Bonnie isn’t judgmental and she’s solely there to help him out. She isn’t asking questions, she isn’t making comments and she doesn’t think he’s a freak.

“Okay.” Bonnie voice snaps him out of his thoughts. “I don’t think you have any broken ribs, but without an x-ray I can’t be sure. I guess you’re not willing to go to the hospital?”

“No, I’ll be-.”

“You’ll be fine, right.” She interrupts with another smile but this one is a little sad. “You need rest and a clean shirt.”

She leaves the bathroom and Charlie takes the opportunity to study his injuries in the mirror. He looks like he’s been hit by a truck. He feels like it too. He wants to sleep for a week but he knows sleep is going to be almost impossible with he amount of bruising on his torso.

Bonnie comes back into the room with a large black tee shirt, a bottle of water and some pain killers. She helps him pull the shirt on then hands him the bottle and pills.

“You can rest in Danny’s room if you want. Danny said your dad doesn’t finish work for a few more hours and I’d rather know you’re here where I can keep an eye on you, then have you in an apartment on your own.” Bonnie rambles out as they leave the bathroom.

"Oh, no I don't wanna intrude. I'll be fine Mrs Nor- I mean, Bonnie. I'll be fine, honestly." Charlie tells her with a weak smile that he tries to hide his pain behind.

"Okay, I'm officially banning that word from my house forever." Bonnie snaps as they reach the living area.

Danny looks up from the couch, a guarded smile plastered across her face. "Everything okay?" She asks nervously.

"Everything's okay." Bonnie tells her and Charlie confirms it with another smile. "Danny, can this young man rest in your bed for a few hours until his father is able to come pick him up?"

"Sure." Danny stands up and starts heading down the same way the bathroom is.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Charlie asks the two women.

"Of course you do sweetie," Bonnie tells him. "You get to say if you want to call your father and tell him what happened or I do it for you."

Charlie just stares at her. He's never had a mother figure in his life, he's never felt like he needed one, but this woman that's known him for maybe a half hour has taken him under her wing as if he were her own son. She reminds him a lot of Bianca, with her no shit attitude and strange way of showing love.

Charlie looks to Danny and she just shrugs her shoulders. "There's no point arguing, I've tried my whole life." 

Charlie sighs, winces as pain shoots through his battered ribcage, and follows Danny to her room. He's a little surprised to see that her room is similar to his. Clothes and shoes all over the floor, an unmade double bed in the corner, a messy vanity covered in masses of half used makeup. The closet looks too small, with clothes slipping out in neat piles and a row of deadly looking heels behind a row of sneakers and boots.

"Uh, it's a little messy." Danny says, trying to tidy up some of the clothes.

"It's a teenagers room. I'd expect nothing less." Charlie tells her.

She grins and sits on the edge of her bed, patting the space next to her. "Get in the bed."

Charlie resists the urge to make some comment about no foreplay and sits next to her, relaxing sideways into the comfortable pillows. Danny pulls his boots off for him and throws a blanket over him, tucking it in around his waist. Charlie doesn't realise how tired he is until he closes his eyes, feeling like he might drift off at any second.

"I'll come back in an hour to check on you." Danny whispers, taking his hand and giving it a comforting squeeze.

Charlie hums out a reply and just about feels Danny's lips pressed to his temple before he lets sleep envelope him.

. . .

Roy locks up the costume shop and sighs, leaning his back against the door. It’s been a busy day but its also dragged and he can’t wait to get home and relax for an hour before getting ready for his gig tonight. He gathers up his things and puts them back in his satchel and as he does, his phone starts to ring with a number he doesn't recognise.

He frowns and answers it. “Hello?"

“Hi Mr Haylock?” A female voice asks on the other end. “My names Danny, I’m Charlie’s friend.”

Roy’s heart skips a beat. Its never a good thing when your sons high school friend calls you, especially when they’ve never met or spoken to you before. “What’s happened? Is Charlie okay?” He asks, his voice shaking.

The other line is so quiet, Roy thinks Danny has hung up until he hears her sigh into the phone. “He’s with me at my house. My mom has fixed him up but, I dunno Mr Haylock, I still think he needs medical attention but he won’t go to the hospital.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t like how they smell. It freaks him out.” Roy tells her because apparently his sons fear of hospitals is the most important thing right now. He rolls his eyes and sighs, trying to get his nerves under control. “He’s with you now?” He asks.

“Yeah, I’ll text you the address.” Danny tells him before she hangs up.

Two-seconds later the text pings through with Danny’s address as if she’d already typed it out. Roy sighs again and leaves the shop, trying to remind himself to stick to the speed limit.

. . .

“Charlie,” Danny whispers, resting her hand on his shoulder.

He grunts in response and buries his head further into her pillow. Danny grins and sits next to him, rubbing his shoulders and upper back. “Come on, honey. Moms made spaghetti if you’re hungry.”

Charlie moves around slowly until he’s facing Danny, his body curled around her back. "My head hurts.” He murmurs still with his eyes closed.

“Yeah, maybe that has something to do with the dent you left in the school bathroom from your skull.” Danny points out, brushing Charlie’s hair out of his face.

“Maybe.”

They sit in silence for a few minutes, Danny continues to rub circles on Charlie’s back, both of them just enjoying each others company. Charlie’s feelings for Danny are so complicated, he doesn’t even know what they are he just knows they’re strong. He’s not a mind reader but he thinks Danny feels something too. He hopes Danny does. Charlie can feel himself slowly drifting back to sleep with Danny’s gentle caresses on his back and shoulders so he forces his eyes open, slightly shocked by what he sees. Danny has, for want of a better expression, de-dragged.

Instead of the long blonde tresses and the heavy, beautifully applied make up, Charlie sees short, messy dark brown hair and a clean, adorable face smiling down at him. Danny’s wearing a tank top and skinny shorts with bare feet.

“Holy shit.” Charlie mumbles, sitting up in the bed, staring at Danny.

Danny looks nervous, not making eye contact with Charlie. “Yeah, I look a little different.” She says quietly.

“You look beautiful.” Charlie whispers.

“Charlie!” Bonnie calls through from the kitchen, startling both the teens. “Your fathers here!”

Charlie’s eyes flick from the bedroom door to Danny’s face. “You called my dad?” He asks, putting on a serious voice.

Danny’s eyes go a little wider and she looks down. “Well, um, yeah. I um, I was worried. But he doesn’t know the details of what happened.”

“Hey,” Charlie lifts Danny’s chin so she’s looking at him. “Thank you. For everything today.”

Without really thinking about it, Charlie leans forward and places a small, thankful kiss on Danny’s cheek. Its over in a split second but both teens pull away from each with pink tinged cheeks.

Danny grins and giggles. “I wanna go meet your dad.” She says, jumping up from the bed.

Charlie drags himself out of the bed, carefully getting to his feet. Danny grabs his hand, something she’s been doing a lot of lately, and pulls gently through the house to the living area. The duo stop when they see Bonnie and Roy in deep conversation, both with steaming mugs in hand. Roy is listening intently to Bonnie as she talks with the air of a concerned mother. Roy looks relieved but with a hint of pissed off.

“Ah, there they are.” Bonnie says with a smile when she notices the teens.

“Charlie-Bear,” Roy says on a shaky breath when he sees Charlie’s beat up face. “Jesus fuck.”

He stalks across the open space and takes Charlie's chin in his hand, turning his head this way and that to get a better view of his injuries. Charlie lets him do it, knowing there’s no point in arguing.

“I’ll fucking kill him.” Roy snaps out, releasing Charlie.

“Dad, I’m fine.” Charlie whines. “Bonnie and Danny did a super good job at fixing me up. I feel practically new.”

“Liar.” Danny murmurs.

Bonnie laughs and turns off a huge pot on the stove. “Roy, would you and Charlie like to join us for dinner?” She asks while busying herself in the kitchen.

“Oh, I don’t want to trouble you Mrs Noriega.” Roy says, all polite with no cursing.

“Please stay?” Danny pleads, giving Roy one of her signature grins.

“Yeah dad, I bet Bonnie is a way better cook than you and your microwave meals.” Charlie jokes.

Roy turns slowly to Charlie and narrows his eyes. “You cheeky bitch.” He says before turning to Bonnie. “I actually have to get going. I have work tonight.”

Danny’s face falls at the idea of Charlie having to leave and she squeezes his hand for the umpteenth time that day.

“Well, Charlie can stay.” Bonnie puts forward. “I can keep an eye on him while you work and then I can drop him back home in the morning.”

Roy thinks it over for a few minutes while both teens silently pray that he’ll say yes. He stares at his son for a few seconds before gesturing to the front door. “Charlie, can I have a word please?”

Charlie follows his dad out to the driveway and waits for the slightly shorted man to speak. Roy looks awkward, like he’s trying to find the right words.

Then he closes his eyes and sighs. “Are you two having sex?” He asks quietly.

Charlie mouth falls open as he stares at his father. “Are you serious?” He asks, his voice coming out in a high squeak.

“I’ve seen how you look at each other Charlie, just at lest tell me you’re being safe?” Roy asks, waving his hands around to get his point across.

“Dad, I’ve barely kissed Danny. I kissed her on the cheek earlier, that’s it.” Charlie says, slightly hurt that he father would think something like that.

“Oh.” Roy says. “Well, good.”

With that he strolls back into the house and up to Bonnie.

He takes her hands and kisses her cheek. “Thank you for looking after my boy. Text or call me if you need to.”

“Will do.” Bonnie smiles at goes back to dishing up the food.

“Charlie, behave yourself.” Roy tells his son, pointing at him.

“Bye dad.” Charlie waves and rolls his eyes.

“Bye Mr Haylock!” Danny waves as well, bouncing on the balls of her feet and hugging Charlie’s arm.

“Bye Danny.” Roy says with one of his dimpled smiles.

Roy leaves without saying anything else and the teens make their way to the dining table.

“Charlie, you never told me your dad was so cute.” Danny says with her cheeks turning a slight pink tinge.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves. Here’s chapter three for you beautiful people. It isn’t proofread because, well, it isn’t. There’s bound to be some spelling errors somewhere. 
> 
> This is kinda me setting up for a time jump, I think. I feel like that’s the best way to take this because I know the Biadore is massively slow burning in this story and that’s not how I wanted it. I guess I feel bad for hurting lil Charlie. Past events are in Italics and will be for all chapters. 
> 
> But we’ll see, feedback is very welcome. Hope y’all enjoy
> 
> TW are: cursing, underage drinking, underage fluff, mention of medical conditions, mention of eating disorder, bad grammar. 

“Okay so there’s this place in town that I want to take you to.” Danny tells Charlie excitedly as she starts applying her foundation.

Charlie sits up a little straighter on the bed and watches as she effortlessly does her makeup. “What kinda place?” Charlie asks around a mouthful of pizza.

Its Monday night and neither of them had been to school, Bonnie allowed them to have the day off because it would be far harder to try and make them go. She’d gone to work and Danny’s siblings were all either at work or back at their own places, leaving Danny and Charlie alone in the house.

They’d slept until about midday, again in the same bed and tangled up in each others arms and legs. They’d woken up several times during the morning and gone to the bathroom or gotten a bottle of water but then they’d both snuggled back together and fallen back to sleep.

It felt like one of the most natural things in the world to fall asleep together. They felt like a married couple, having the house to themselves and not having to worry about walking around in tee shirts and boxers. Not that either of them really have any experience of married couples.

Danny’s memories of her mom and dad growing up don’t paint a very wonderful picture of marriage and Charlie doesn’t even think his dad has been in an actual relationship, beyond one night stands.

Danny had attempted to make pancakes for breakfast at around one in the afternoon but she’d failed badly, burning the lumpy pancake mixture. Charlie had laughed so hard he could see stars and Danny had sulked, earning her an apology full of cuddles from Charlie.

They’d both had showers, separately of course, and then around four pm Danny had announced that Charlie was to get ready because they were going out. Of course Charlie getting ready took a lot less time than Danny getting ready. Hence the situation they were in right now.

“Its just a small place in town.” Danny tells Charlie quietly, focusing on getting her conturing right. “You’ll like it, I promise.”

“And if I don’t?” Charlie questions, a grin playing on his lips.

“You will.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Just trust me.” Danny looks over and winks at him. “Can I put some make up on you?”

“Uh, what?”

“Well,” Danny turns so she’s facing Charlie instead of the mirror. “I just didn’t think you’d want to go out looking like that.”

Then Charlie remembers how bad his face looks. “Yeah, good point.”

With that, he joins Danny on the floor and she goes about painting his bruised mug. Her brush strokes are gentle and when she has to use her fingers, she’s just as light, her fingertips tickling his tender skin. He doesn’t try to control what she does, he knows that she won’t make him look feminine, he trusts her. But he also knows from her movements against his skin that she’s doing more than just a layer of foundation to cover up the bruises.

A half hour later and Danny announces that she’s done. Charlie opens his eyes to be greeted with Danny grinning back at him. “Look.” She says, gesturing to the mirror.

Charlie reluctantly turns to look at himself, part of him fearing that Danny may have gotten a little carried away with the makeup. But he’s pleasantly surprised. His bruises are completely covered, he has neatly smudged black eye liner surrounding his eyes making the blue really pop and Danny hasn’t made him look too feminine at all.

“You like?” Danny asks.

“I like.” Charlie confirms. “Thank you princess.”

He reaches over to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Hey! Watch the make up!” She tells him with a giggle. “Okay, I need help with my hair.”

Charlie nods his head and looks around the room for Danny’s blonde wig with dark roots, her usual school wig. He then goes about fixing her actual hair, smoothing it down and fastening a few bobby pins into it.

“The key tip is you can never have enough bobby pins.” Charlie tells her and he attempts to brush out her wig. “When was the last time you brushed this?” He asks as the brush nearly snaps off from all the snags.

“Um,” Danny’s painted cheeks flush so dark Charlie can see the pink tinge through her make up.

“You’ve never brushed it, have you?” He asks and she just gives him a nervous grin. “You’re such a messy slut.”

She gasps and slaps his arm but he can see the smile curling at the corner of her lips. “You’re so mean to me!” She whines.

“Hush it bitch, lemme get this mess on so I can try and tame it.”

Charlie fixes the wig onto Danny’s head, attaching the bobby pins making sure her natural hair is all covered and the wig is straight, not that anyone would really be able to tell with the mess that its in. He doesn’t really mind though, its kind of signature Danny to be messy.

“Okay, done.” He tells her, fixing a few lose strands.   
“Thanks baby.” Danny leans over and pecks a small kiss onto to Charlie’s lips without even thinking about it.

Danny pulls back, her eyes wide with shock at her own actions and Charlie just stares at her as well. Then without saying anything, he leans forward and presses his lips to hers again, neither of them pulling away for a good few seconds, long enough for Charlie’s eyes to flutter shut and his heart to pick up in pace.

When he does pull away, he draws in a shaky breath and stares at Danny, her eyes still wide with shock. “I’ve never done that before.” Charlie thinks out loud, a blush creeping onto his cheeks at his admission.

“I’m glad I was your first.” Danny smirks.

“Shut up bitch.” Charlie laughs and then he stands up. “Fix your lipstick.”

Danny laughs out uncontrollably and Charlie can’t help but join in. He’s just had his first actual kiss, kindergarten kisses don’t count, with his best friend and it felt like the most normal thing to do.

“Hey, I’m gonna go call my dad. Just check in with him for today so he doesn’t call later when we’re out.” Charlie tells Danny before hauling himself to his feet and leaving the room.

He wants privacy for this phone call. He goes through the house and out into the courtyard at the back, sliding the door closed behind him. He dials the phone and waits for his dad to answer.

“Hi Charlie!” Lola’s voice crackles through the phone as she answers it for Roy and Charlie grins.

“Hi Lola-Bear, what’re you doing?” Charlie asks the excited girl.

“Waiting for Roy.” Lola tells him with an extreme sigh.

“And what is he doing?”

“Cooking.”

“Can I speak to him Lola-Bear? Its important.” Charlie tells the tiny queen in making.

“Roy!” Lola yells without moving the phone away. “Charlie wants you!”

Charlie can hear the conversation between his dad and Lola and can’t help smiling at it.

“Sweetie, bring it over here and put it on loud speaker for me.”

“Loud what?”

“Loud speaker. Look, this button here.”

What does that do?”

“It puts Charlie’s voice through the speaker so we can both hear him and I can continue cooking.”

Charlie loves how his dad is with Lola. Lola has a special place in Roy’s heart and he treats her like a princess. When Lola was first born, Charlie was jealous of the love Roy showed her.

_“Charlie, this is baby Lola.” Kerry tells Charlie as he peers over the end of the hospital bed, looking up through his long bangs. “She’s practically your baby cousin.”_

_“No she isn’t.” Charlie snaps out. “She’s not related to me. You’re not even related to me.”_

_“Charlie.” Roy warns. “Don’t be rude.”_

_“Shut up!” Charlie yells, startling the baby._

_Roy shushes the baby in Kerry’s lap as he wraps his arm round her shoulders and beams down at the tiny pink bundle. He reaches down to stroke her cheek as she yawns, wriggles and drifts back to sleep. The look of love and adoration on Roy’s face hits a nerve with eleven year old Charlie and he groans in anger before storming out of the room._

_“Charlie!” Roy calls but it’s too late._

_Charlie is already out of the door and down the hallway to the stairwell._

_“What’s his problem?” Roy asks, frowning down at Kerry._

_He’s greeted with an understanding, sympathetic smile on Kerry’s face. “He’s jealous Roy.”_

_“What?”_

_“He’s jealous.” Kerry repeats. “He’s seen you showing the baby some love and he’s jealous because he probably feels like he’s being pushed out.”_

_“But he isn’t being pushed out.” Roy rolls his eyes and sighs._

_“I know that. You know that. But do you really think he knows that?” Kerry asks as if talking to a child. “Roy I hate to say this but you never showed him the love you’re showing Lola right now. He’s still just a child himself and he probably remembers everything that happened when he was younger.”_

_“Kerry I was eighteen, I was still a kid myself.” Roy tells her, flapping his hands around. “I didn’t know what I was doing.”_

_“Roy, go and talk to your son. He needs his dad right now to reassure him that he’s not being pushed out.”_

_“He knows he’s not being pushed out.”_

_“No, he doesn’t.” Kerry uses her stern, I’m-gonna-kick-your-ass-if-you-argue, voice and Roy knows she’s right._

_“I’ve never been good at the whole dad thing. I never wanted to be a dad.” Roy admits and it breaks Kerry’s heart a little bit._

_She knows how much Roy and Charlie have struggled over Charlie’s life with one thing or another. She knows Roy has done his best from when Charlie was in his care full time after the courts gave him full custody almost ten years ago._

_“It’s not something you master over night.” Kerry states, using her free hand to take her best friends. “It’s a learning experience. You’ll have to just wing it Roy, learn with Charlie and I’ll learn with you.”_

_Roy thinks it over and he knows his best friend is right. He needs to speak with Charlie. “Okay, but if he throws a tantrum don’t blame me.”_

_Roy kisses Kerry’s forehead, kisses Lola’s rosy cheek and leaves the room in search of Charlie._

_It doesn’t take long for him to find his sobbing son on the bottom step of the stairwell, his skinny arms wrapped around his legs and his head buried against his knees._

_“Charlie-Bear.” Roy murmurs._

_“Go away.” Charlie sobs, his voice muffled by his knees._

_Roy sighs and sits next to his boy, wrapping his arm around Charlie’s shoulders. He’s grateful that Charlie doesn’t shrug him off, but instead leans against him and continues to sob. Roy rubs Charlie’s arm, trying to calm him down and reassure him while he racks his brain to find the right words to explain everything._

_“Charlie, I need you to listen to me.” Roy starts off saying._

_Charlie sniffles and lifts his head, slightly bloodshot blue eyes peering into Roy’s brown ones. He sniffles again but no more tears fall as he waits for his dad to continue speaking._

_“I love you, Charlie. I know I don’t say it enough and I know I don’t show it but I do love you.” Roy does something he doesn’t remember doing before. He takes hold of Charlie’s hand and kisses his forehead. “I do not love Lola more than you, I couldn’t love anyone more than I love you because you are my son. Do you understand me?”_

_Charlie frowns and searches Roy’s eyes for something. “You didn’t want me when I was born, did you?” He asks and Roy can almost feel the heart break in his voice._

_Roy sighs and pulls Charlie closer to him again. “Your birth wasn’t planned. But that does not mean I don’t want you. Please don’t ever think that Charlie-Bear.”_

_“Why do you love Lola so much? She’s not even related to us.” Charlie crinkles his nose up at the name of the new baby._

_“Well, sometimes we get to choose our family. Kerry is like a sister to me. That doesn’t mean I love your aunts any less, it just means that I love Kerry.” Roy explains, waiting for Charlie to understand. “So when Kerry had Lola, she also became part of my chosen family and she can be part of yours as well.”_

_“I don’t want a baby sister.”_

_Roy barks out a laugh at the look of disgust on Charlie’s face. “She won’t be your baby sister, she’ll be like your cousin.”_

_Charlie frowns again. “Dad, will I have to change her diaper?”_

_Roy laughs again. “No, of course not.”_

_Charlie lets out a dramatic sigh. “Okay, fine, she can stay in the family. But if she cries, I’m out.”_

_Roy smiles at his eccentric son. “Come here.” He pulls Charlie into a hug, ruffling his hair and poking his ribs to make him giggle._

_“Dad,” Charlie whines out. “Stop it!”_

_Roy finishes his attack with one last rib poke and then releases Charlie, letting him straighten his shirt and fluff up his precious hair again. “Come on Charlie-Bear, you owe Kerry and baby Lola an apology for being a brat.”_

“Hey Charlie, what’s up?” Roy calls from far away on the other end of the phone.

“Hey old man, I just had a few questions about like, adult stuff.” Charlie tells him straight up.

There’s silence on the other end of the phone before Charlie hears a clatter, the press of a button and then his fathers voice a lot louder and clearer on the phone. “What’s happened?” Roy asks.

“Nothing has happened, yet.” Charlie tells Roy, fiddling with the loose thread on his jeans from the rip on the knee.

“But you want something to happen.” Roy states.

“Dad, how did you know you were ready to like, do it?” Charlie asks nervously.

“Well, for a start I didn’t call it ‘it’, I called it sex because that’s what it is Charlie.”

“Okay old man, How did you know you were ready to have sex?”

Roy is silent for a few long seconds and Charlie starts to regret asking. “Listen, I’d rather have this conversation in person. We’ll talk about it over lunch tomorrow after I pick you up from school.”

“If I can last that long.” Charlie jokes.

“Charlie Haylock, don’t even joke about that.” Roy warns. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Okay, bye pops.”

“Bye shithead.”

. . .

Danny and Charlie had left the house two hours before they were due to arrive at Danny’s secret destination. She wouldn’t tell Charlie where they were, claiming she wanted it to be a surprise for him.

They’d been for dinner at Taco Bell and almost been kicked out for throwing food at each other. They’d been heckled by a couple of drunk guys and Charlie got ridiculously overprotective and wanted to slap them but Danny stopped him. They’d laughed their way through town until finally reaching the secret destination.

“I want you to keep an open mind when we get in here honey, okay?” Danny says, stopping Charlie just outside the bar.

“Uh, sure Princess.” Charlie tells her.

“I know you will,” Danny murmurs. “I just want you to be prepared.”

“Prepared for what?”

“Adore!” A new voice booms out and Danny spins around with her perfect smile on her perfect lips. “Look at you mama, you look fabulous!”

Charlie looks around Danny to see a lanky, bleach blonde haired, blue eyed guy grinning at her. His hair is styled into on big curl on top of his head and he has a weird assortment of clothes on, completely with deadly looking heels and black lipstick.

“Ganj!” Danny squeals, pulling the skinny guy into a hug. “It’s so good to see you! Are you performing tonight?”

“Oh no mama, not tonight.” The guy pulls away from Danny and runs his fingers through her wig, messing up the styling that Charlie had done. “I’m here to watch tonight. Whose your friend?”

“Oh!” Danny spins around and grabs hold of Charlie’s hand. “This is Charlie.”

The guy stares at Charlie, looking him up and down. “King?” He asks Danny.

“Boy.” Danny tells him quietly. “Charlie, this is Laganja.”

“Hey.” Charlie murmurs. “Are we going in or what?”

He doesn’t like this guy, he seems too dramatic and judgmental. “Sure.” Danny nods her head and squeezes Charlie’s hand. “Ganj, you coming in as well?”

Charlie really hopes he says no.

“I’d love to mama but I’m on door duty tonight. Gotta check them IDs.” At the end of his sentence, Ganj does an irritating tongue pop and Charlie can’t hide the annoyance from his face.

Danny just smirks at him and then pulls Charlie into the bar. Once they’re inside, Charlie is shocked by the interior. There’s a small stage in the corner of the room with a shabby looking sheet as a backdrop and if Charlie didn’t know any better, he’d say who ever was going up on that stage would be safer standing on milk crates.

As Danny pulls Charlie towards a small table next to the stage, a scrawny looking guy clambers up and fiddles with the wired mic in its stand, making it whistle for a second.

Danny pulls Charlie down on the seat and then stalks her way over to the bar to order their drinks. She doesn’t even ask Charlie what he wants, she just returns with two beers and plonks one down in front of Charlie.

“You might need this.” Danny tells him with an anxious smile.

“Adore?” Charlie questions, raising an eyebrow at Danny.

Danny grins back at him. “It’s my drag name.”

“Why Adore?”

“‘Cause I’m adorable!” Danny giggles.

“Really queen?” Charlie asks, imitating his father.

Danny just giggles again and turns back to the stage.

“Okay, so tonight we have just a couple of acts for you all.” The guy on stage drawls out. “Our first girl is one of our regulars, show some love for Raven!”

Danny cheers and whistles along with the rest of the bar and claps her hands before turning to Charlie with a grin on her face. She looks so excited, Charlie can’t help but feed off of some of her energy, cracking a smile as well.

He looks back to the stage as a tall, beautifully painted woman climbs up in huge heels and an intricate looking outfit that Charlie is ninety-nine percent sure she made herself.

“Doesn’t she look amazing?” Danny yells over the music as Raven performs her lip-sync number.

Then as if he’s been hit by a brick, everything falls into place for Charlie. The small bar hidden away in the town, Danny worried that he wouldn’t like it because she doesn’t know his upbringing, her huge amount of excitement at being able to ‘introduce’ Charlie to this. He’s at a drag show and Danny thinks that Charlie has never seen or been apart of drag before. And who is he to burst her bubble and tell her that he’s been brought up with drag?

So instead, he nods and turns to watch Raven as she performs. He has to admit, her drag is impressive and if there was ever going to be a drag centred competition, she could easily win it. She’s funny, quirky, her beat is good, her clothes are good and her act is spot on.

“Do you like it?” Danny asks, her voice close to his ear.

He turns to look at her and gives her a genuine grin. “Yeah, its awesome.”

With that, Danny scoots closer to Charlie, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder as they watch Raven finish her act and other queens and kings take to the stage.

The night goes on for a while but Charlie doesn’t bother to worry about the time. He’s enjoying himself with Danny and she’s having a blast watching the queens and picking up tips for her future.

. . .

School sucked for Charlie on the morning before Roy picked him up. The whole day had started out badly when he woke up feeling lightheaded and like the world was a little fuzzy around the edges. Normally, someone his age would say it was down to the three beers he had the night before. But in reality, three beers was only enough for Charlie to get a light buzz. This lightheadedness was down to something else and he knew exactly what it was.

It didn’t help his case when Danny commented on how pale he looked when they were getting ready for school. But she also put it down to the beers, commenting that maybe next time he should eat a little more before drinking.

Once he got to school, things only got worse. He had a math test first thing and before he’d even looked at the questions, he knew he was going to fail. Academia has never been Charlie’s strong point, he’s much better creating things with his hands. Hence why he works so well with Roy in the costume shop and has done since a young age.

But of course, the test still had to be taken and still got the lowest marks of the class. Something Casey made sure everyone knew about. It isn’t enough for Casey to have beaten Charlie back and blue just days ago, he has to humiliate him at every chance he gets.

Charlie had come so close to starting a fight again, his anger getting the best of him and if it wasn’t for Danny, Charlie probably would have been left laying on the floor covered in his own blood again.

Charlie left class early, ignoring the lecturers demands to stay. He left the school building completely, choosing to sit on the sidewalk and wait for his dad. He had jammed his earbuds in and was blasting Linkin Park to try and rid him of the brain fog that was trying to take hold. He had the music so loud, he didn’t even hear Danny calling his name as she approached.

“Charlie!” Danny yells.

She crouches in front of Charlie to get his attention and he jumps, pulling an earbud out. “Sorry.” He murmurs.

“Your dads here.” Danny tells him, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she stands back up. “Come on.”

She holds a hand out to Charlie, helping him up and then intwining their fingers together. She pulls him across the road towards Roy’s car and she waves at Roy as they approach. Danny’s smile falters though when she sees her mom in the car as well. She frowns as she climbs into the back , pulling Charlie with her.

“Mom, what’re you doing here?” She asks, leaning forward between the two front seats.

“Roy is taking us out for lunch.” Bonnie says with a smile.

The simple sentence catches Charlie attention and he locks eyes with Roy through rear view mirror. “I thought it was just going to be you and me dad.” Charlie says quietly, narrowing his tired eyes but mostly so he could focus properly.

“It involves Bonnie and Danny as well.”

With that, Roy starts the engine and they drive in silence to a small cafe that Roy and Charlie know well. It does the best vegetarian burgers in town but it also does regular burgers for the meat eaters.

They all settle into a small booth, Roy and Bonnie next to each, Danny and Charlie next to each other. They order their food and then sit in relative silence while they wait for it to arrive.

This is not how Charlie wanted to have this conversation. It was reluctant to go ahead with it when he knew Danny would be here but now Bonnie as well? He feels like he’d rather be back at school with Casey then sitting here.

“Veggie burger with salad and a water?” A young waitress asks.

“Uh, yeah.” Charlie replies.

She places the food in front of him and then delivers the rest. Everyone else starts to eat but Charlie can’t even force himself to start his burger, despite it being his favourite thing on the menu.

Roy watches as Charlie picks at his salad, chewing on a slice of cucumber for way longer than was necessary. He noted the pale complexion of his son, the dark, faint circle under his eyes that isn’t from makeup and the way he keeps squinting to try and focus his eyes.

“Charlie, you must be hungry.” Danny tells him with a frown. “You haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon.”

Charlie’s tired eyes go slightly wider at Danny’s words and he flicks his gaze over to his father, knowing that Roy would have heard Danny. Roy clenches his jaw in annoyance but decides now isn’t the best time probe Charlie with questions about why he isn’t eating, again. 

“So Charlie, we need to talk about what you asked me yesterday.” Roy says, not looking away from Charlie as the little bit of colour drains from his cheeks.

“Dad, forget about it. It was a stupid question. It doesn’t even matter now.” Charlie tries but Roy isn’t having any of it.

“Its clear that you two are either already in a relationship or are wanting to be.” Roy says, gesturing to the two teens. “Bonnie and I aren’t blind, we can see how close the two of you are.”

Bonnie smiles at Danny and Charlie and Danny reaches over under the table to take Charlie’s shaking hand.

“Dad, seriously, not now. Please?” Charlie tries.

“Charlie, what are you embarrassed about?” Bonnie asks, a frown on her brow.

“Nothing. I just don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Why?”

“‘Cause I fucking don’t!” He snaps, feeling his head spin slightly.

“Charlie,” Danny murmurs, squeezes his hand, worry in her voice. “What’s wrong?”

“He hasn’t taken his meds today, have you?” Roy asks, already knowing the answer.

“Meds?” Danny asks, frowning from Roy to Charlie. “What meds?”

Danny’s voice starts to sound too far off to Charlie. He shakes his head to try and bring himself back to the now but it’s not good.

“Dad.” He mumbles, his own voice sounding like it doesn’t belong to him.

Danny watches as Charlie tries to stand up but he falls out of the booth onto his knees. His whole body is shaking and he’s pale and she has no idea what to do. She looks over to her mom to see her looking just as scared and worried as she feels. She then looks at Roy to see him on the phone to someone, a calm expression on his frowning face.

“Charlie?” Danny asks but Charlie doesn’t answer. “Mom, what’s wrong with him?”

“What’s wrong is he hasn’t taken his meds.” Roy answers, hanging up the phone. “When did he last eat?”

“Um, yesterday. We went to taco bell.” Danny murmurs, not taking her eyes off of Charlie. “He had a taco.”

“And before that?”

“Um, I dunno. Pizza I guess. He had like, two slices I think.” Then it hits Danny. “Shit, he’s barely eaten and I didn’t even notice.”

“Hey,” Roy takes hold of Danny’s chin and forces her to look up at him. “It’s not your fault. He does this sometimes.” He finishes his sentence by stroking his thumb against her cheek in reassurance.

“Dad,” Charlie groans. “I don’t-.”

Danny watches almost in slow motion as Charlie’s body starts to convulse. Her eyes go wide as she watches Roy drop to his knees next to Charlie. Bonnie is just as shocked as she wraps her arms around Danny’s shoulders, trying to stop her from looking at Charlie but it’s no good.

Everyone else in the diner is staring, people are whispering but no one cares. Roy’s focus is on whispering unknown, comforting words to his son as the seizure racks his body.

“Mom, what’s wrong with him?” Danny whispers again, choking back her tears.

Bonnie doesn’t answer because she doesn’t know. She does know that she loves Charlie like another son and she knows Danny loves him too. There’s the faint sound of sirens in the background as Charlie’s seizure slows a little but it doesn’t look anywhere near close to stopping.

Roy hates this. He hates that his son has to go through this and he knows how embarrassed he’ll be for it to happen in front of Danny, Bonnie and the rest of the diner. He just hopes this time will finally knock some sense into him that he has to take his fucking medication if he’s going to lead a relatively normal life. Roy pushes his anger to the back of his mind as he watches Charlie, deciding to bring it up later at the hospital in front of the doctors.

Danny can’t believe how calm Roy looks but she can also see straight through it. She steps away from her mom and crouches next to Roy, reaching over and taking his hand to try and comfort him. Roy looks over at her, another frown on his face as he studies her slightly. She tries to ignore the feeling of his hand in hers but its difficult. Roy smiles at her, his dimples making her heart flutter a little. He squeezes her hand before looking back at Charlie.

Whatever this weird dynamic is, it’s only going to get more confusing as Danny and Charlie grow older. Roy likes Danny and how much she looks after Charlie. Surely he likes her because she’s his sons best friend. It can’t be more than that, right?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright you beauties. I know I’ve been gone and I know y’all probably had a funeral for me and I hope y’all had a blast at my wake. But I’m back! Call me Will Byers. Just without the Mind Flayer and communication through lightbulbs. 
> 
> Anywho! Here is Chapter four. It’s a total filler chapter but it needed to be written. Most of it is in memory form, hence the Italics, so enjoy that. Or don’t because it’s pretty dark. 
> 
> The next chapter will definitely be a time jump. Bare that in mind please. 
> 
> TW cursing, TW bullying, TW medical stuff, TW mention of suicidal thoughts, TW awful writing, 

“Mr Haylock, you appear to have been neglecting your medication. Again.” The doctor stands at the end of Charlie’s hospital bed, his eyes scanning over Charlie’s chart and a disapproving look developing on his face.

Charlie sighs and closes his aching eyes. His head is pounding, even though it’s the morning after the incident in the diner. He feels like he could sleep for a week. Actually he feels like he’d prefer to die right now then deal with the doctors and his dad, but he’d never admit that to anyone.

He’d had three seizures in twenty minutes, one of the worst episodes he’d had for a long time. But he’s not surprised. He hadn’t taken his meds for about two weeks.

Roy is blaming himself of course. He always does. Charlie is his responsibility and he feels like he’s neglected him by not picking up on the fact that Charlie’s health has declined over the last week and a half. He put his snappy attitude and tired eyes down to Charlie’s new school and struggling with school work and bullies. He’d hoped that when he’d asked Charlie about taking his meds, his son had been honest. But no. Charlie’s been lying about it and Roy hadn’t even picked up on it.

Bonnie had taken Danny home, much to Danny’s annoyance. She wanted to stay with Charlie until he woke up and wanted to make sure Roy was okay. But Roy and Bonnie insisted on her going home and sleeping in her own bed, promising that she could go to Roy’s apartment once Charlie was home. She’d hugged Roy before going home, leaving a small kiss on his flushed cheek as an apology for not looking after Charlie properly. Roy had grabbed her hand and pulled her back, reassuring her that she wasn’t to blame. She didn’t believe him. She felt just as guilty and responsible as Roy.

Now Charlie was to be confronted by a specialist, hoping that the doctors experience and title would knock some sense into Charlie. But Roy doubted it. Nothing has ever worked when it comes to telling Charlie about the importance of medication.

“So, would you like to tell me why you’re neglecting your medical condition?” The doctor asks sternly.

Charlie just shrugs.

“That isn’t much of an answer. There’s obviously a reason you’re doing it.”

“I don’t like taking them.” Charlie murmurs. “I hate being on them.”

“Do you think everyone else in the world that is on life long medication enjoys taking it? Of course they don’t.”

“I don’t care about everyone else.” Charlie snaps back and Roy clenches his jaw to stop himself from chastising Charlie.

“I’m going to be completely honest with you Mr Haylock.” The doctor states, slamming the chart back into the box at the end of the bed. “If you continue to neglect your medication, you will continue to have seizures. Your epilepsy will not get better and one day you will have a seizure without anyone there to help you and you’ll likely die. Your father will have to come home to his dead son and have that image in his head for the rest of his life. Or it’ll be your partner or your child or your friend. It’ll be someone you love and you’ll scar them for life because you’re stubborn and selfish and neglectful. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you’d care very much.”

Charlie just stares at his covered feet at the end of the bed, not making eye contact with either his father or the doctor and not wanting to let his tears fall. He knows the doctor is right, of course he’s right.

“You’re well enough to go home.” The doctor snaps. “But if you carry on acting as you are, I expect I’ll be seeing you again very soon.”

The doctor signs off Charlie’s chart, drops it back into the box at the end of the bed and leaves the room. Charlie and Roy stay in silence, Charlie still staring at his feet and Roy staring at Charlie.

“Charlie,” Roy starts.

“Can we just go home?” Charlie asks, his voice quiet.

Roy sighs and nods his head, gathering up Charlie’s things.

Charlie slowly swings his legs out of the bed, pulling on sweatpants and then dropping into his high tops. He then grabs up his hoody and pulls the curtain around his bed to cut Roy’s view off while he changes his top. As Charlie pulls his hoody down over his head, he gets a wave of dizziness and curses.

“Charlie?” Roy calls out. “You okay?”

“I’m fine dad.” Charlie tells him, pulling the curtain back. “Can we go now?”

Roy stares at Charlie’s pale face for a few minutes, wanting to scream at his son but also wanting to pull him into a hug. He sighs and nods his head, picking up the with Charlie things in it and heading for the door.

As they leave the room, Charlie notices the pumpkins on the reception desk and sees a small boy walking past with a pumpkin beanie and sweater on. He can’t help but smile, memories of his once favourite holiday flashing through his mind.

_Charlie’s eyes spring open as his alarm clock emits its ridiculously irritating sound. He slaps the button on the top to silence it before routinely tearing off the flimsy paper on his calendar, a grin spreading onto his face as he reads the date._

_He jumps out of bed, internally cursing as his toe collides with the stack of sketch pads and journals next to his bed. He stumbles out of his room, rushing down the short corridor to the kitchen in search of his father, who he finds sitting at the breakfast bar._

_“Hey dad, can we talk about Halloween now?” He bursts out, the grin still on his face._

_Roy doesn’t look up from his morning paper. “Good morning to you too.” He murmurs, sipping from his coffee._

_“Sorry, morning.” Charlie rushes out. “So, can we?”_

_“Sit down, eat your breakfast.” Roy tells his son, pointing to the bowl of oatmeal on the table._

_Charlie rolls his eyes and hops up on to the stool, spooning up some oatmeal and swallowing it without even chewing. He scoops up another spoonful and is halfway to his mouth when his dad speaks again._

_“Hey,” Roy says, reaching across the bar and taking hold of Charlie’s wrist. “Don’t forget your meds.”_

_Roy nudges the small pills closer to Charlie and he frowns at them. Charlie lets out a small sigh before picking them up, popping them into his mouth and washing them down who some orange juice, grimacing as he swallows them._

_He then goes about spooning in his oatmeal as quickly as he can before Roy reaches over and grabs his wrist again. “Slow down.”_

_Charlie stares with wide eyes at Roy for a second or two before slowly chewing the oatmeal and swallowing again. “So, Halloween?” He says, grinning at Roy hopefully._

_“I’ve already told you, we’re not talking about halloween until October fi-.”_

_“It is October first.” Charlie interrupts, tapping the top of the newspaper page that clearly reads Tuesday 1st October 2002._

_“Right.” Roy sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “Do you have any ideas?”_

_“Tons!” Charlie squeaks out, practically vibrating with excitement. “So I figured I could go as a vampire, but not those lame ass vamps with crappy plastic teeth and capes and slicked back hair. Like a modern day vampire. Pale skin, red eyes, fixed teeth like implants and just regular clothes.”_

_Roy listens as Charlie rambles on, letting his son express his excitement about his favourite holiday._

_“Or,” Charlie continues, still with the same spoonful of oatmeal half way to his mouth. “I was thinking maybe a Hobbit. It’d be pretty easy to do and I’m the height and my hair looks pretty close to Frodo’s. Or I could go as like, Pennywise.”_

_Roy finally looks up from his newspaper at watches as Charlie gives him a nervous grin, showing off the couple of gaps in his teeth from where his baby ones have fallen out. “Pennywise?” He asks curiously._

_“Yeah, you know, Pennywise the Dancing Clown, from IT.”_

_“I know who Pennywise is. I’m wondering how you know who Pennywise is.” Roy says, still slightly shocked._

_Charlie shrugs and goes back to his oatmeal, not making eye contact. “I watched it. It’s cool.”_

_“You watched a horror movie? On your own?” Roy questions._

_“Technically it’s a miniseries but yeah, I watched it. I wouldn’t call it a horror though.” Charlie shrugs again, finishing off his oatmeal and orange juice. “So what do you think? Could we do a Pennywise costume?”_

_“Uh, if you really want to.” Roy says, watching his son rinse off his dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. “You’re eight, how can you watch a horror movie without being terrified?”_

_Charlie shrugs one more time. “It’s just a miniseries dad, it’s not real so it’s not scary. I’m going for a shower.”_

_With that, Charlie leaves to get ready for school and Roy remains shocked by his son. Watching a horror movie at eight years old and shrugging it off as if it’s a Saturday morning cartoon. Since when did his son grow up so much?_

_. . ._

_Roy finishes packing up a few extra essentials for work and joins Charlie in the living room, watching as his boy nervously chews on his thumb. This always happens, every school morning. Charlie wakes up excited for the day but as he gets closer to actually going to school, he gets quieter and more nervous._

_Charlie hates school. He’s one of the main targets for bullies and unfortunately only has one friend to hang out with, a friend that is bullied as well. Charlie never really talks about school. He says he prefers to keep school life and home life separate and Roy completely understands that, very much like he tried to keep Bianca and Roy separate. Roy just can’t stand it when Charlie comes home crying or with a fresh bruise that he doesn’t want to talk about. Roy respects his sons privacy and doesn’t ask questions, no matter how heartbreaking he finds the situation sometimes._

_“You ready buddy?” Roy asks, startling Charlie out of whatever thought he was having._

_“Do I look okay dad?” Charlie asks nervously, standing up and showing Roy is outfit._

_The morning conversation is always the same._

_Charlie is wearing black ripped jeans that look too small for him with them being so tight, but he simply says its his fashion choice. He’s also wearing orange Converse sneakers, an orange beanie with his black curls poking out around the rim and a slightly baggy pumpkin sweater._

_“Wow,” Roy comments, knowing that he needs to choose his words carefully so Charlie doesn’t think he has to change again. “Anyone would think you’re excited for Halloween.”_

_Charlie gives Roy a small smile, not his usual full on, teeth showing smile. “What gave you that idea?” He asks deadpan before he sighs. “Do I have to go to school?”_

_Roy walks over and pulls Charlie into a hug, being careful not to dislodge his beanie that he knows Charlie has placed perfectly so his hair looks good as well. “I’m sorry Charlie-Bear, you have to go. You’ll be okay, but remember if you aren’t or if something happens, you can always get the office to call me and I’ll come and get you.”_

_“Promise?” Charlie mumbles against Roy’s chest._

_“Yeah bud, I promise.” Roy gives him one last squeeze before stepping away. “Come on, sooner you get there the sooner you can come home.”_

_Charlie steps away, picks up his backpack and heads for the door. He knows his dad is right. He also knows that his choice of outfit today will most likely result in someone being a total asshat._

_. . ._

_Charlie is sitting in math, staring at the clock and waiting for the last minute and a half to tick down so he can leave for lunch. He won’t actually eat lunch, he’ll just use the opportunity to hide away somewhere until lunch break is finished and then he only has two more classes before he can go home._

_He’s well aware of the sniggers he’s been getting all through math from the asshats behind him. But he also doesn’t care all that much. They can’t do anything to him in class, he just needs to make sure he gets out of the classroom before them and gets lost in the crowd of students._

_Xander, Nathan, Ben and Corey have all made it their mission this year to bully Charlie as much as they can. They’ve mostly succeeded, the only time they didn’t is when Xander was out sick for a week. The other three were too afraid and too stupid to try and pick on Charlie without their main brut._

_The school bells rings and Charlie leaps up out of his seat, snatching up his book, pencil and backpack before rushing to the door._

_“Charlie Haylock,” Miss Lee calls from the front of the class. “Please stay behind, I’d like to talk to you.”_

_Charlie freezes. No, he thinks to himself, no he can’t stay. They’ll be waiting for him outside. “Miss, I really gotta go.” He tries telling her._

_“Lunch can wait Charlie, I won’t keep you long.” She smiles across the classroom to him._

_Charlie curses under his breath and slumps back down into his seat._

_“See you outside Charlie.” Xander calls over with a smirk._

_“Yeah, see you outside, fag.” Corey adds, causing the other boys to burst out laughing._

_Charlie chooses to ignore them, like he does almost every day. It’s not worth he hassle if he argues back. Once the classroom is empty, Miss Lee strolls up to him, her heels click clacking against the hardwood floor. She perches on the desk in front of him and folds her arms, sighing gently._

_“Charlie,” She says to get his attention. “Your math grade is slipping.”_

_Charlie’s head shoots up to greet her spectacle rimmed eyes. “How?” He asks quietly._

_“You tell me.”_

_Charlie shrugs._

_“Charlie, have you reported those boys to the principal?” Miss Lee asks but Charlie is already shaking his head before she even finishes. “Would you like me to report them for you?”_

_“No Miss, its fine.” Charlie tells her with a weak smile. “It’s nothing new. I can handle it.”_

_“You’re eight, you shouldn’t have to handle bullies. No one should.” Miss Lee reaches out and pats Charlie’s shoulder. “Go on, get to lunch.”_

_Charlie jumps up again, packing away his book and pencil. He leaves the classroom and is immediately grabbed by the scruff of his neck and dragged down the hall, his beanie being pulled down over his eyes so he can’t see anything._

_“Hey!” He yells, trying to reach behind him. “Get off me god damn it!”_

_He hears sniggers and he knows straight away that its Xander and his group of douchebags. He hears a door bang open and it hits him as he’s dragged through it and thrown onto the floor. His beanie is pulled off and he squints at the bright strip light._

_“Look guys, we caught ourselves a faggot.” Xander laughs, nudging Charlie with his foot. “I hate faggots.”_

_“I hate you too, asshat.” Charlie quips out._

_Xander’s smile falls and he glares down at Charlie. “You’re gonna regret talking to me like that, faggot.”_

_. . ._

_Roy is working away on his sewing machine in the costume shop, the girls he works with all systematically working away on their sewing machines as well. There’s the repetitive hum from all the machines and the sound of the radio in the background but apart from that, the room is quiet._

_Roy enjoys his work, even though he always seems to be at the end of some sort of deadline. It’s not as busy as it use to be in New York and now he wonders how he ever did so much work there because the work load here is at least half and he still struggles._

_Even though Roy is the newest member to the team here, he’s pretty much become the boss. The others are all younger than him and, in Roy’s eyes, are far too unorganised to work correctly. He works with four young girls and they’ve all started to look up to him for help and ideas when they get stuck with things. He’s of course, begrudgingly done it, not because he wants to but because he doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of having them whine at him._

_Jessica, the oldest of the four girls has been in the costume shop for around three years before Roy arrived. Emily and Sophie are straight out of college whereas Jane is straight out of high school and has the least knowledge but is a keen and fast learner._

_They’re all working on costumes for a dance group that are performing a ‘simply spooktastic dance routine’ for the dancers parents and families. It’s not Roy’s usual gig, but it’ll do for now. Besides, how often does he get to make twenty-four miniature Satan costumes?_

_It’s around noon when the girls decide to take a break after a straight four hours work during the morning, but Roy, in typical Roy fashion, decides to not take them up on their offer to head down to the nearest sandwich place for a bite to eat. He could probably finish two costumes in the hour that they would be gone._

_Jane, Emily and Sophie are all ready out the door and Jessica is rushing to join them when Roy’s cell phone starts to ring on the table next to him._

_“Jessica can you answer that for me?” Roy says, nodding to his ringing cell phone. “I don’t wanna drop this fabric.”_

_Jessica reluctantly answers the phone, looking nervous as she brings it up to her ear. “Hello, Roy’s phone. Can I help you?” She asks quietly._

_Roy continues to sew the red tutu to the leotard, his eyes quickly flicking up to Jessica’s face when she gasps. She covers the mouth piece with her hand before loudly whispering, “It’s Charlie’s school. They need you to go in.”_

_Roy’s hand freezes in the material and the machine hums to a halt as he stares up at Jessica. “Is Charlie okay?” He asks, fearing the worst like every parent does._

_“They can’t say because I’m not you.” Jessica tells him with a sad expression. “Okay, thank you.” She hangs up the phone. “All they said is you need to go in and see the principal.”_

_“Shit.” Roy murmurs._

_He quickly tries to tidy up his table, folding fabrics and trying to organise the mess that seems to have grown over the day._

_“Leave it Roy, we’ll fix that.” Jessica tells him with a soft smile, gesturing to the mess. “Go, we’ll see you tomorrow.”_

_Roy offers her a tight smile before grabbing up his belongings and leaving at an almost run. This is never a good sign._

_. . ._

_Roy runs into the school and towards the principals office, catching sight of Charlie standing in front of the desk with his back to the door. Roy forces himself to calm his breathing before he walks into the office. Charlie turns around quickly to see Roy before looking back at the principal and Roy’s breath catches in his throat._

_One of Charlie’s eyes is swollen shut and his lip is fat and still leaking a little blood. His nose also looks like it’s been bleeding and his once orange pumpkin sweater is ruined, as are is converse._

_“What the hell happened?” Roy yells, startling Charlie and earning himself a stern glare from the principal._

_“Young Charles here has been starting fights.” The principal tells Roy, his eyes flicking down to Charlie and back up to Roy. “That is something we simple cannot allow Mr Haylock. I’m afraid we’re looking at a school suspension with possible exclusion.”_

_Roy stares at the principal, his mouth hanging open slightly. “No, Charlie doesn’t start fights. Look at him! How can you say he started something when he looks like that?”_

_Roy asks, his hands shooting forward to rest on Charlie’s shoulders. Roy doesn’t miss the fact that Charlie flinches under his touch but he doesn’t mention it, deciding that its best to bring it up in the comfort of their own apartment._

_“Charlie started a fight with one of his fellow pupils, a young Mr Xander.” Principal Cridland tells Roy. “Xander was lucky to have a few friends realise he was taking slightly longer in the restrooms than usual and went to see where he was. From what I can gather, Xander was extremely lucky to have his friends intervene when they did.”_

_“You can’t really expect me to believe this?” Roy asks, his grip on Charlie tightening in his protective state._

_“Why don’t you ask your son, Mr Haylock?”_

_Roy kneels down and spins Charlie around to look at him. Charlie stares straight back at Roy, something he doesn’t usually do. “Charlie, tell me the truth.” Roy almost pleads._

_Charlie shrugs. “He called me a faggot. Twice. So I hit him.”_

_“Charlie,” Roy whispers, not believing what he’s hearing. “Don’t lie to me son.”_

_“I’m not.” Charlie snaps out, a glint in his eye that Roy has never seen before. “I hate him dad. He makes my life awful. I hate him and I’m glad I smacked that shit eating grin off his face.”_

_Roy just stares. What’s happened to his son? His perfect, beautiful, innocent son is happy to be hitting and cursing?_

_“You see Mr Haylock?” Principal Cridland asks. “We simply can’t allow that behaviour in this school.”_

_Roy stands up again and nods his head. “I understand. Thank you.”_

_“I’ll call with information on a follow up meeting, depending on what the school board agree on.” The Principal tells Roy._

_Roy nods again before taking hold of Charlie’s arm and dragging him out of the school and towards his car. He’s furious with his sons actions and words. But deep down he knows there’s something else going on with Charlie. Something serious, something he needs to know about if he’s going to help Charlie._

_. . ._

_Charlie pushes the apartment door open so hard, it bangs against the wall and bounces back, almost hitting Roy. Before Roy can shout after him, Charlie is in his bedroom, slamming the door shut._

_Roy sighs, closes the front door and goes to Charlie’s room. He knows Charlie won’t answer him if he asks whether he’s allowed in or not, so he just walks in and sits on Charlie’s bed, against Charlie’s back._

_“Charlie,”_

_“Go away.” Charlie sobs out, shrugging Roy away._

_“No.” Roy snaps out. “Charlie, talk to me. This isn’t like you.”_

_Roy listens to Charlie sob for maybe ten minutes, maybe an hour, just waiting for his son to calm down enough to talk to him. When his sobs go quiet, Charlie turns around to face Roy and it breaks roy’s heart. His face is such a mess he just wants to hold Charlie and comfort him. But he can’t, not until he’s heard the full story._

_“Tell me what happened. I don’t want some bullshit story like Principal Cridland was trying to tell me. I want the truth.” Roy tells Charlie slowly._

_Charlie stares at Roy. “I hit him dad.” He whispers. “I hit him because he called me a faggot. Him and his group of idiot friends.”_

_“So his friends were already there?” Roy asks._

_“Yeah, he never goes anywhere without them.”_

_“Charlie, I don’t understand.” Roy tells him, adjusting his legs on the bed to get comfortable. “You don’t hit people. You’ve never done it before, why now?”_

_Charlie shrugs. “I guess he just pushed me too much this time.” Tears well up in Charlie’s uninjured eye again. “He makes me want to not be here dad. Xander and his friends. I hate them.”_

_Roy feels like someone has poured a bucket of ice cold water over him. “What do you mean Charlie-Bear?” Roy asks him quietly._

_Charlie sniffles and leans forward so his forehead is resting on Roy’s shoulder. He sniffles again before quietly speaking. “They make me feel like sometimes I’d rather be dead then be here.”_

_“H-how long have you felt like this?” Roy stammers out._

_“A while. I’ve even,” Charlie’s voice cracks slightly. “I’ve even thought about, like, different ways to, to,”_

_Charlie doesn’t finish his sentence, instead he breaks down crying, tears soaking through Roy’s tee shirt._

_Roy just wraps his arms around Charlie to comfort him and racks his brain to try and figure out what to do. His baby, his son has thought about killing himself because he’s being bullied and Roy doesn’t even know what to do. Does anyone ever know what to do?_

“Charlie?” Roy calls out for the fourth time.

Charlie blinks a few times before turning to face his dad. “Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah dad.” Charlie gives him a weak smile. “Just memories.”

Roy looks at the young boy wearing the pumpkin sweater and beanie and the awful memory from when Charlie was eight flashes through his mind and his heart squeezes.

“Come on dad.” Charlie says, wrapping his arm around the slightly shorter mans shoulders, knowing that his dad is thinking of the same memory.

The two men walk out of the hospital slowly, heading for Roy’s car. Charlie falls asleep in the passenger seat before they even leave the parking lot and Roy is once again left with his memories of Charlie when he was younger.

He’s not on his own with his memories for long, as his cell phone buzzes in his pocket. He fumbles around, trying to get to it before the calls ends and answers it without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?” He murmurs quietly, trying not to wake Charlie.

“Mr Haylock!” Danny yells. “Is he okay?”

“Hey Danny,” Roy chuckles. He glances sideways at Charlie to see him still sleeping. “He’s okay, we’re heading home now.”

“Can I come over?”

“Oh, I dunno Danny. He really needs his rest.” Roy tells his sons best friend. “He’ll probably be sleeping anyway.”

“Well then I can just hang out with you.” Danny says and roy can almost hear her smiling.

She makes it really difficult for him to say no to her. “Okay, fine.” He agrees and Danny squeals in excitement. “We’ll be home in about twenty minutes.”

“Already on my way!” Danny yells, hanging up the phone.

Roy finds himself grinning at the teenagers excitement and happiness. What has he gotten himself into?

. . .

The apartment is quiet when Danny knocks on the door, nervously chewing on her bottom lip. She knows Charlie is probably sleeping and she knows if he is, she’d have to hang out with Roy. And that’s totally fine. Except he makes her nervous.

Before she can change her mind, the doors opens and Roy is standing there with ruffled hair, low riding sweatpants and a thin, clingy tee shirt. His feet are bare and he has a pair of thick rimmed glasses framing his deep brown eyes. Danny finds herself having difficulty speaking and is grateful when Roy just steps aside so she can walk in.

Roy closes the door behind Danny, noting that she’s opted for more of a ‘boy’ look today with skin tight white jeans, a Misfits sleeveless shirt and black thee inch heels. So its maybe not the most subtle look in the world but it works for her and Roy finds himself looking at the way her legs move for maybe a second longer than was suitable.

“Is he awake?” Danny asks nervously.

Roy shakes his head and goes back to pouring his coffee. “No, he’s sleeping it off. Coffee?”

“Sure, thanks.” Danny paces back and forth slightly until she notices Sammy and Dede curled up on the couch together. “Oh my god!”

She throws herself down and scoops up Sammy into her lap, startling him away. He then proceeds to lick her face, neck and anywhere else he can reach while she laughs and pets him and a slightly jealous Dede.

Roy brings the coffee over, setting the two mugs on the table before sitting next to Danny, picking Dede up and cuddling her to his chest. “Aw, are you a jealous baby Dede? Are you? Are you jealous of Sammy?” Roy says to the squirming dog in a baby voice.

Danny laughs at him and Roy joins, feeling slightly embarrassed about his baby voice. “These two are adorable!” Danny coos, scratching both the dogs ears.

“Yeah, they get it from me.” Roy jokes, giving her a fake sweet smile.

“Yeah, they do.” Danny confirms with a little too much seriousness.

Roy stares at her for a few seconds, watching as her cheeks flush a slightly darker shade of pink before clearing his throat. “So, how’s your mom?” He asks, frowning at his own question.

“Oh, she’s good.” Danny murmurs, still staring at Roy, not able to take her eyes away. “Mr Haylock-.”

“Seriously Danny?” Roy cuts her off. “I think we’re past the Mr Haylock stage. Call me Roy.”

Danny swallows her nervousness. “Roy, I’m sorry I didn’t notice about Charlie and his meds.”

“Oh stop it,” Roy tells her, taking her hand a squeezing it for reassurance. “Its not your fault, it’s his.”

“Can you two maybe shut the hell up?” Charlie calls through from his room. “Some of us nearly died yesterday and would prefer to sleep in peace.”

“Yeah, well, some of us don’t fuck around with life saving medication.” Roy shoots back.

Danny bites her lip and feels like maybe she should leave and let Roy and Charlie fight it out. She shouldn’t have really come here with Charlie being sick and Roy being pissed off. Maybe she should go.

“Hey,” Roy calls to her. “Stop it.” He tells her, gesturing to her bottom lip between her teeth. “Stop worrying. You’re okay here.”

“I just, maybe I should leave. He’s obviously not feeling great.” Danny points out.

“Ignore him. I’m here.” Roy tells her. “Talk to me instead. I get the feeling we’re going to be in each others lives for a long time anyway so we may as well get to know each other.”

Danny’s heartbeat picks up in speed at his words. “W-what do you mean?” She asks quietly.

“Well, you and Charlie are obviously close friends.” Roy points out. “And from the looks of it, you’ll be sticking around. Right?”

Of course that what he meant, Danny thinks. It’s not because Roy wants her in his life, its because Charlie does. “Right.” She confirms, looking away from him and fussing Sammy again.

“Hey,” Roy calls again. “I don’t hang out with teenagers for no reason. I want you here too.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the love! Hope y'all enjoy. Again, not beta'ed. Sorry for mistakes.  
> The part in italics in from the past. 
> 
> Triggers: bullying, cursing,

Over the next six months, the Haylock men and the Noriega women became extremely close. The teens were very rarely apart, spending evenings and weekends either at Danny’s house or Charlie’s apartment.

Bonnie and Roy were both a little worried to start with, thinking it might be unhealthy for their hormonal teenagers to be spending so much time together. But when the teens were apart from each other, they were miserable. Truly unbearable to be around with the sulking and stomping about, cursing at everything and everyone. They seemed to feed off of each other’s good energy, but not in a negative way. They fielded each other in happiness.

Roy and Bonnie had both sat Charlie and Danny down individually to have ‘the talk’. Obviously it wasn’t the usual sex talk, what with Charlie being trans and Danny being pretty much gender fluid, but the parents tried to make it work. It was made a lot easier by the fact that Charlie and Danny were both sensible, knowledgable young adults and they knew how things worked. The teens had promised both parents that they wouldn’t have sex until they were at least eighteen or older, which obviously wasn’t the answer the parents were looking for but it was better than nothing.

Charlie had been grounded for the first time in his life after getting blind drunk and throwing up all over Bonnie’s bathroom. Danny tried to take the blame for it, but the pale green tinged face of Charlie and the giggles from Danny as Charlie swayed back and forth while being reprimanded gave them away. Roy wasn’t even the one to ground Charlie, it was Bonnie. She made Charlie clean the bathroom from top to bottom, without the help of Danny. It took him an entire day, mostly because he was trying not to throw up again.

The teens only had two semesters left of school before they could officially leave forever. School had become a daunting task and the pair were literally counting down the days until they could finish. Casey the cunt was still there, but after a visit from Ernie and Frankie, he left Charlie and Danny alone, resorting in glaring at them from across the classroom.

Roy has been able to pick up a good few regular gigs as Bianca as well as working full time at the costume shop. It was rare now for him to be seen without bags under his eyes, but he was earning good money and he was grateful for it. Danny and Bonnie still didn’t know that Roy was a drag queen. Not out of Roy and Charlie keeping it a secret or anything, it just never came up in conversation.

Charlie had gotten a weekend job helping Roy out at the shop and also helping Roy in the evenings getting everything set for his gigs. He’d learned how to make dresses and outfits when he was younger and he took after Roy with his skills, so he was a welcome addition to the shop and Roy appreciated his sons help more than he could ever express.

Danny had passed her driving test and Bonnie had bought her a car so she didn’t have to be Danny’s personal taxi cab everywhere. As a result of Danny passing her test, she’d now become Charlie’s personal taxi cab and she didn’t mind one little bit. The two of them loved that they could just go driving when they wanted and with their curfews being pushed back to midnight, they literally felt like they could take over the world.

The only downside to their world domination plan was Danny’s car wasn’t the most reliable. It would start when it wanted, and that wasn’t very often. So Danny and Charlie had made it their plan to save up to fix her car so they could carry on with theoretical world domination, it just had to be postponed for the foreseeable future.

. . .

Charlie lets out a long sigh as he fishes around in his backpack for his set of keys. He didn’t bank on not riding with Danny so his bearings are all thrown off after a pretty crappy day at school. Danny’s car wouldn’t start and he was spending a few nights at his dads so they both decided it would be easier for Charlie to head home without her, much to both of their disappointment. 

Once he's found his keys, he shoves one into the front door and hip bumps the door open, stepping inside and then kicking the door shut behind him with a bang while tossing his backpack onto the floor.

Sammy and Dede greet him with a few excited barks as they run towards him, skidding slightly on the hardwood floor. He crouches down to give both of them a scratch under their chins before straightening back up and sighing again, preparing to tell his dad about his car.

"Dad!" He lets out in a low groan making him sound like an actual sixteen year old boy and not a prepubescent kid as he makes his way through to the living area. "Danny’s fucking car died in the parking lot at school so I had to hitch a ride with one of the weird twi-." He stops in his tracks when he locks eyes with the unwelcome, familiar woman sitting at the breakfast bar.

“Hello, Charlotte." The woman beams a toothy smile at him but it doesn't reach her icy blue eyes.

"What the fuck," Charlie grinds out,trying his very hardest not to start screaming. "Is she doing here, dad?" He turns his gaze to Roy.

Roy clears his throat and stands up. He looks just as pissed off as Charlie feels. "Carol wanted to see how you're doing at your new school." He grinds out and Charlie knows he's using all his self control to not curse the woman out of the house. "His names Charlie, not Charlotte. You know that." Roy snaps at her.

"Oh I'm so sorry sweetheart!" She gushes out and it makes Charlie want to throw up. "You know how I am, always forgetting the little details."

"What, like how you forgot to be a good fucking mother?" Charlie spits out.

"Roy!" She gasps. "Are you really going to let her talk to me like that?"

"Carol, cut the crap. Why are you here?" Roy asks.

Carol stands up and struts across the kitchen to the sink. Charlie can't help but look over her outfit. She's wearing a light blue, tight pencil skirt that reaches her knees with three inch black heels. Her white top is a tight button up with one too many buttons undone, showing the edge of a black bra. To anyone that didn't know fashion, she would look like a business woman. To the Haylock men, she looks like a fucking mess of cheap knock off designer brands and slutiness. She takes her time rinsing out her coffee mug, knowing full well that there's a dishwasher next to her. Once she's done, she turns around and slowly dries her badly manicured hands in a kitchen towel. She smiles at Charlie again and he wants to scream until he passes out.

Without looking away from him, she starts to talk. "I'm here to take my child." She says so quietly, Charlie's not sure whether he imagined it or not.

"Excuse me?" Roy asks, his voice a notch higher.

Carol flicks her eyes back to Roy, stepping closer to him and resting her hand on his shoulder. "I'm taking my daughter out of this shit hole and away from you." She says slowly. "You've poisoned her mind, thinking it's okay for her to dress like a boy. She needs a mother to show her how to act. She's a young lady Roy, you've turned her into a wannabe faggot!"

Roy is stunned into silence at what he's hearing but Charlie certainly isn't. "Dads done nothing but support me and care for me since you fucking dumped me on Abuela’s doorstep as a baby. He's the best parent anyone could wish for. He's better than you'll ever be. If you think I'm ever going to leave here to live with you, you're even more stupid than you look." Charlie tells her, anger bubbling at the back of his throat and seeping out through his words.

Despite the situation, Roy's lips twitch into a small smile at Charlie's words. He wants to pull his son into a hug and tell him how much he loves him because he knows he's not the best dad in the world but evidently he doesn't need to be.

"Roy, I can't believe you're letting her talk to me like this." Carol flaps her hands around showing her fake upset. "It just shows that you've not raised her right. No girl should ever-."

"I'm not a fucking girl!" Charlie bursts, screaming the words at her and despite his best efforts, tears start to prick at his eyes. "Why'd you have to come back and try and fuck things up, huh?! Don't you get it? I don't want you in my life! I don't need a fucking mother!"

Roy's heart squeezes at seeing his son so upset and his hatred for the woman that abandoned Charlie as a baby grows even stronger.

"Dad," Charlie chokes out. "I can't stay here if she's staying in town. I can't. I'm sorry but I can't."

Roy's aching heart drops but he should have seen it coming. "Where are you going?" He asks but he already knows the answer.

"Bonnie's." Charlie murmurs.

"You aren't seriously letting her leave?" Carol snaps out.

Roy ignores her and walks across the living area to Charlie. He pulls his sobbing son into a tight hug, knowing that it pisses Carol off when Charlie shows Roy affection but he doesn't even let her touch him.

"I love you Charlie." Roy says loud enough for her to here. "You're my boy, my son, and I'm so proud of you. Don't you ever forget that."

It's what Charlie needs to hear after being misgendered and birthnamed so many times by someone who is supposed to love him. He steps away from Roy and gives him a tear streaked smile. "Thanks old man, I love you too."

"Please don't forget to take your meds." Roy can't help but remind Charlie. Then he does something he hasn't done since Charlie was around eleven or twelve. He leans forward and stands on his tiptoes slightly to kiss Charlie's forehead.

"I love you too Charlotte." Carol calls out from in the kitchen.

Charlie narrows his eyes and turns to the woman as Roy rolls his. "Fuck off Carol, I don't ever wanna see you again." Charlie tells her calmly.

Her mouth drops open as Charlie gives Roy one last quick hug and rushes for the front door. As expected, Carol tries to stop him by grabbing at his hand but he just jerks away. He snatches up his backpack from beside the door and rips it open, hurrying out into the hallway and slamming it shut behind him. He lets out a shaky breath before he starts heading for the outside, pulling his cellphone out as he goes. He reaches Bonnie's name in the contacts and presses the call button without a second thought.

"Hola Charlie." Bonnie greets on the third ring. His throat suddenly feels super tight and he can't bring himself to answer her. "Charlie?"

"Bonnie." Her name comes out in a sob and it's all Charlie can say.

"Oh Sweetie, what's happened?" She asks but Charlie just sobs again. "Okay Charlie, listen, I'm gonna send Ernie to come and pick you up okay? Where are you? Are you at home?"

"Y-yeah."

"Okay, I'm sending him now. Just hang on 'til he gets there Mijo. It'll be okay." Bonnie continues to talk to him until Ernie pulls up fifteen minutes later.

Ernie instinctively climbs out of the car to see it Charlie needs help with anything but Charlie just hangs up the phone and throws himself into the passenger seat, pulling his hood up to try and shield his face from the world. Ernie frowns and climbs back into the car as well. Charlie's embarrassed for Ernie to see him in such a mess but at the same time he doesn't really care.

Ernie stays where he is outside Charlie's apartment block, feeling suddenly anxious to have his baby brothers crying best friend in his car. Maybe he should go in and speak to Roy. No, he's merely here as a chauffeur right now, to take Charlie back so his mom can find out what's going on.

"Uh, I can put the radio on if you want." He tells Charlie and receives a tiny nod from him.

Ernie feels a little better now he's had even just a small bit of communication from Charlie and turns on the radio before pulling away from the sidewalk, but he still extremely uneasy. He’s never seen Charlie like this before. He hopes to God no one has hurt him because he sees this lil crazy emo like a brother.

“You okay Char?” Ernie tries again.

Charlie sniffles and looks out the window. “No.” He murmurs.

. . .

Once they’ve pulled up outside Bonnie’s house, Charlie clambers out of the car and rushes up the steps, throwing himself into Bonnie’s waiting arms. She shushes him and rubs his back, leading him through the front door and towards the couch.

“Uh, can I get you a drink or somethin’?” Ernie asks nervously from the doorway, scratching the back of his head.

Charlie silently shakes his head no against Bonnie’s shoulder. “We’ll be fine, thanks Ernie.” Bonnie tells her eldest son, giving him the hint to leave them alone.

“You need me to beat on someone for you?” He asks.

“Ernie!” Bonnie snaps, getting rid of him for sure.

Bonnie continues to comfort Charlie until his tears cease and turn into embarrassing sniffles. He moves on the couch so instead of being almost in Bonnie’s lap, he’s sitting next to her with his hand clasped in both of hers, her thumb stroking his scarred knuckles.

“You wanna tell me what happened, Mijo?” She asks quietly, her heavy eyelashes fluttering as she stares at him.

“Not really.” Charlie tells her honestly, but he knows he needs to. “My mom is here.”

Bonnie just stays silent, letting Charlie get his thoughts together.

“I hate her.” Charlie blurts out.

“Hate is a very strong word, Charlie. You sure you wanna use it?”

“Yeah.” Charlie sighs and turns so he’s facing Bonnie. “It’s like, I dunno, like she tries her fucking hardest to make my life hell every time she shows up.”

Charlie proceeds to tell Bonnie his life story. About how his mom left him as a baby, about how she refuses to accept Charlie’s transition and how she blames Roy for the way Charlie is. He tells her about how, when he was four, his mom scarred him for life.

_“Charlotte, come on out here sweetheart.” Carol calls from the kitchen._

_“No!” Charlie shouts back, tears tracking down his little cheeks as he pulls at the stupid baby pink coloured, frilly dress._

_Carol appears in the doorway, a stern look on her face. She stalks over to Charlie, straightening the dress and slapping Charlie’s hands away as he tries to take it off._

_“You will wear this,” Carol grits out. “And you will be a little girl, like you were made to be.”_

_“No!” Charlie shouts again, pulling at the material as it clings to his body. “I’m not a girl! I’m a boy, I’m Charlie!”_

_He pulls away from his mother but freezes when he hears material ripping. He slowly looks down and even though his eyes are filled with tears, he can still see the ripped frilly sleeve hanging off of his shoulder._

_“You little brat!” Carol shouts, grabbing Charlie by the shoulders and shaking him. “How dare you!”_

_Charlie hears a slap and a second later, his cheek is burning red. His mother had slapped him. His dad had never laid a finger on him and he knew is mom was horrible, but he never expected that._

_He stays frozen, silent tears falling from his bloodshot eyes as his mother pulls the ripped dress off of him and tosses it to the floor. He stays rooted to the spot as Carol goes to the closet and pulls out another dress, this one white with a pink floral pattern on the front. Charlie lets out a sob as Carol pulls the dress over his head, fixing it into place and finishing it off with a ribbon bow at the back._

_Carol then goes about finding long white socks and white buckled shoes, jamming them onto Charlie’s feet, not caring that the left buckle pinches his skin as she fastens it._

_“Come here.” She snaps out at him, dragging him in front of the mirror. “Sit.”_

_Charlie sits like a wounded dog not wanting to upset its master any further. Carol then pulls Charlie’s shoulder length, curly hair into two tight pigtails on either side of his head._

_“There we go.” Carol says proudly, her hands resting on Charlie’s shoulders. “There’s my little girl.”_

_“Not a g” Charlie starts but Carol squeezes his shoulders._

_“Shut up.” She snaps. “You are a girl, as long as you’re with me, you’re a girl. Understand?”_

_Charlie stares at his mom through the mirror. She squeezes his shoulders again._

_“Understand? Your name is Charlotte, like I named you, and you are a girl.” Carol spits out every word as if each one is full of venom._

_Charlie nods his head as two more tears escape._

_“Good,” Carol smiles. “Come on, my friends are waiting.”_

_. . ._

_“Ah, and this must be little Charlotte.” A strange woman coos, crouching down so she’s eye level with Charlie. “Aren’t you just the sweetest.”_

_Charlie grimaces and fiddles with the hem of his dress again, not answering the stranger but instead deciding to stare down at the ground._

_His mother had brought him to some fancy neighbourhood tea and cake get together to introduce him to everyone. All the women were plastered in bad make up and had cheap, badly made dresses on that totally did not flatter them. They all had awful spray on tans with blotches everywhere, with orange feet crammed into ridiculous heels that none of them could walk in.  
All the men had light coloured pants and striped polo shirts with flashy belts and sweaters wrapped around their shoulders. All of them talking about business or investments or expensive wine and cheap ladies._

_Charlie hides a giggle thinking about what his daddy would say about everyone here. His daddy would have a field day, reading each and every stupid looking person, especially Carol._

_Charlie looks across the huge backyard at his mother as she forces out a fake laugh that makes him grimace. He hates it here. He hates her. He wants to go back to his daddy’s. If he slipped away, no one would notice, right?_

_Charlie chews on his bottom lip, thinking his options over. He could run away. He could find a pay phone and call his daddy and tell him all the dreadful things Carol is doing to him. Roy would fly out right away and rescue Charlie and he’d never have to see that evil woman again. But he doesn’t have any money for a payphone. Maybe he could steal some?_

_If he stays here, she’ll make his life hell. She already has and he’s only been here for three days. She’ll ruin him and no one will be able to stop her because his daddy is three states away and everyone else here believes Carol that Charlie is a little girl._

_“Charlotte!” Carol calls across the backyard and Charlie groans. “Charlotte dear, come and meet Mr Roberts.”_

_Charlie huffs and stomps over to Carol, glaring up at her. “This is Mr Roberts.” Carol tells Charlie._

_Charlie looks the man up and down and grimaces. He’s a big fat man in a suit and tie with a cigar in between his chubby sausage-like fingers. His thinning hair is pulled back into a tight, greasy ponytail and he has the remains of an egg mayonnaise sandwich on his chin and once white shirt._

_“Wow Carol, she really is a delightfully pretty little lady.” Mr Roberts praises, wrapping one of Charlie’s pigtails around his fat, nicotine stained finger._

_Carol beams with joy, more so from the appraisal of Mr Roberts than what he said. “Go and play dear.” She tells Charlie, dismissing him with a wave of her hand._

_Charlie feels like he might be sick after having that disgusting man touch him. He has to get out of here. He decides that he’d rather be dead than spend another night here away from his daddy._

_Instead of stopping where the other kids are playing, Charlie walks straight out the open yard gate and into the street. Once he’s out there, he looks behind him. No one has seen him leave. He takes his chance and runs._

_. . ._

_It had been around eight hours since Charlie ran away from his mothers house and no one from the neighbourhood had come looking for him. He had ran for a solid fifteen minutes, as fast as he could and then carried on walking until his little legs wouldn’t carry him any further. He had ripped the dress and white buckled shoes off, leaving him in a pair a red shorts that he managed to slip on under the dress without Carol noticing and nothing else._

_Now the tiny human was crouched partially under a hedge, practically naked, waiting for his daddy to come and rescue him. He was cold, he was wet and it was dark. Charlie just wanted to go home. But he didn’t even know where he was, let alone how to get home. He wanted his daddy. He wanted his green dinosaur onesie, his orange and blue checked blankie and his daddy’s cuddles._

_“Hey there,” a deep, unfamiliar voice calls out and Charlie hunkers downs, the wet ground squelching under him. “You okay there lil buddy?”_

_“Leave me ‘lone!” Charlie squeaks out, but before he can forget his manners, “please!”_

_The stranger chuckles, a deep, rumbling sound that sounds like thunder to the tiny boy. “I can’t leave you all alone out here young man, I wouldn’t be doin’ my job if I did that.”_

_Something about the strangers calm voice tells Charlie to look up, but something else in his tiny, frightened mind tells him to stay put. “I want my daddy!” He yells against his knees._

_“Well, maybe I can help you with that. What do you think, hm?” The stranger asks._

_Charlie frowns against his knees. If this man can help him find his daddy then he could go home and have cuddles and have hot chocolate and popcorn and movie night. But if this man is lying and doesn’t help, he might never see daddy again._

_Charlie frowns again, a question on his lips, but the mans appearances stops him. “Oh.” He says quietly and the man smiles._

_Crouching in front of Charlie is a police officer. He has a kind, older looking face that has probably been witness to way too much and a moustache that any cowboy or biker would be jealous off. His brown eyes squint slightly as he smiles at Charlie, showing off the crows feet around his temples._

_“My daddy says I should always listen to police off’cers,” Charlie murmurs. “‘Cause they’re good and they help people who need help.”_

_“Your daddy sounds like a very smart man.”_

_“He’s the smartest.” Charlie agrees, wiping his dripping nose on the back of his hand._

_The officer smiles again at Charlie’s words. “What’s your name champ?”_

_“Charlie. Charlie Haylock.”_

_“Well Charlie, Charlie Haylock, how about you come with me and we find your daddy?”_

_“Um, what’s your name, Off’cer?” Charlie asks, remembering what his Dady says about not going with strangers._

_The police officer chuckles again. “My name is Officer Wilkes, but you can call me Billy.”_

_“Off’cer Billy.” Charlie confirms with a nod of his head. “Can we go find my daddy now please?”_

_. . ._

Bonnie stays staring at Charlie for a few long seconds after he’s finished explaining this terrifying and heartbreaking memory of his. How can a mother do that to their baby? Sure, she embarrasses her children, but she’d never do anything like that. Never.

She looks at the pained look on Charlie’s pale, tear streaked face and does the only thing she know will work. She leans forward and pulls the skinny white boy into a tight hug, rubbing his back.

“I’m sorry you were treated like that Mijo.” She tells him quietly.

“It’s okay.”

“It is not.” Bonnie corrects him. They both lean back and Bonnie takes Charlie’s hands again. “You can stay here for as long as she’s in town. I’m sure your father won’t mind.”

Charlie had been secretly hoping Bonnie would say that and he sighed in relief, an invisible weight lifted from his shoulders. “Thanks Bonnie.” He hugs her to show her how thankful he really is.

Charlie loves Bonnie for how much she does for him. She’s how he imagines a mom should be all the time, not like that crazy bitch back at his apartment.


End file.
